Thane athlete Shourya Ambure wins bronze in 100m hurdles at Asian U-18 Championships
Thane athlete
Shourya Ambure has won a
bronze medal
in her international debut at Dammam, Saudi Arabia. She earned the bronze in the 100-metre hurdles at the Asian U-18 Athletics Championships, recording her personal best time of 13.80 seconds.
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She finished behind Chinese competitors Bao Yinyin (13.71) and He Yihui (13.76). According to her coach
Ajit Kulkarni
, head of Aim Sports Foundation that trains underprivileged children from tribal regions of the state, she is Maharashtra's sole medallist at the competition.
Nine years of dedicated training led to her selection in
for international competition. Achieving a medal at this level fulfilled her ambition in her first international event.
The journey was demanding for this talented athlete who made numerous sacrifices.
"It was a tough ride for me all through the years to don the tri-colour and bag a medal being part of the Indian squad. I am super happy that I could win a medal at my debut international show," said an elated Ambure.
The committed hurdler sacrificed two class 10 examination papers to participate in the National Youth Championships in Patna last month, which served as selection trials for the Asian Championship.
"The 100-metre hurdles was relatively new territory for her as she headed to Saudi Arabia for her first international event after climbing to the under-18 category from her existing under-16 category," said Kulkarni.
Previously competing in the 80-metre hurdles in the under-16 age group, she transitioned to 100 metres as required in the under-18 category. "This transition was quite challenging to accustom and that even at the higher competition, but she managed it swiftly," said Kulkarni.
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Adapting to 100 metres from 80 metres requires extensive practice and regular competition, yet she participated in only two races before this event, Kulkarni added.
Her training faced significant challenges regarding facilities. Residing in Thane, where proper synthetic athletics tracks are limited, Ambure and her coach travel extensively to various facilities. They commute to Bandra, Ghatkopar, and Balewadi Stadium in Pune for training due to insufficient local tracks.
Athletics has been central to Ambure's life since her early years. Initially engaged in music, dancing, and skating, she discovered her interest in track and field events.
Training under Kulkarni for nine years, she developed a strong inclination towards hurdles. She aspires to compete at the Olympics and earn recognition for the country. Her parents, both senior police officers, inspired her commitment to fitness, health, and athletics.
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