Indian athletics continued its impressive rise on the international stage as long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary delivered another landmark performance, breaking her own national record in the women’s 5,000m at the Meeting Nikaïa in Nice, France. Competing at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze-level event, the 31-year-old clocked 15:04.26 to finish second and register the fastest 5,000m time ever recorded by an Indian woman.
The race was won by Ethiopia’s Seniya Bereka, who crossed the finish line in 15:03.85, narrowly edging out the Indian athlete in a thrilling finish. While Chaudhary fell short of the Athletics Federation of India’s Commonwealth Games qualifying mark of 14:56.60, her performance marked a significant step forward in what is shaping up to be an important season.
Most notably, the new mark improved her previous national record by more than six seconds, underlining the remarkable progress she continues to make in middle and long-distance running. This was the second time she had rewritten the Indian record in the event after first setting the benchmark in 2023.
The race in France was only Chaudhary’s second competition of 2026. Despite limited appearances so far this year, she has already demonstrated encouraging form across multiple disciplines. Her season began at the prestigious Shanghai Diamond League, where she competed against some of the world’s best steeplechasers and finished seventh in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
More importantly, she clocked 9:12.84, comfortably surpassing the Commonwealth Games qualification standard of 9:27.41 and securing her place for Glasgow 2026 in her preferred event. The latest result in France further highlights her versatility. While the steeplechase remains her primary discipline, Chaudhary has consistently proven she can compete at a high level in flat-distance events as well.
According to recent reports, the Indian runner is expected to focus on the 3000m steeplechase at the Commonwealth Games while targeting both the 5000m and steeplechase at the Asian Games later this year.
Parul’s rise has been one of the most inspiring stories in Indian athletics. Hailing from a small village near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, she began her athletics journey with limited resources before emerging as one of India’s leading distance runners. Today, she holds national records and has represented the country at the highest level, including the Olympic Games.
The Asian Games champion has become a key figure in India’s distance-running revolution. Her breakthrough came in 2023 when she won gold in the women’s 5,000m and silver in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Hangzhou Asian Games, establishing herself among Asia’s elite athletes.
Since then, she has continued to push Indian standards higher. Her previous national record of 15:10.35 was already a significant milestone for Indian women’s distance running. The latest improvement to 15:04.26 brings her even closer to breaking the elusive 15-minute barrier, a mark achieved by only a select group of elite athletes worldwide. Although she narrowly missed the qualifying standard for the 5,000m, Chaudhary’s performance suggests that the target remains well within reach as the season progresses.
The Athletics Federation of India has established demanding qualification criteria for Glasgow 2026, with the women’s 5,000m benchmark set at 14:56.60. Chaudhary’s latest effort leaves her less than eight seconds away from securing qualification in a second event. With several major competitions still remaining on the calendar, including European circuit meets and championship events, there will be further opportunities to lower her time.
Chaudhary’s record-breaking run comes during an encouraging period for Indian athletics, which has witnessed multiple national records being challenged and surpassed across disciplines in recent months. Her achievement once again demonstrates the growing competitiveness of Indian athletes on the global stage.
While the Commonwealth Games qualifying mark remains a target for another day, the bigger takeaway from Nice is clear. Parul Chaudhary continues to raise the standard for Indian women’s distance running and remains one of the country’s strongest medal hopes heading into a packed international season. At 31, she is not slowing down. Instead, she is running faster than ever before.
