Nithya Gandhe: Sprinting Through Ups and Downs
Nithya Gandhe and Athletics
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Early Sporting Journey
In September 2024, Telangana sprinter Nithya Gandhe secured gold in the women鈥檚 100m at the 63rd National Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru. She clocked 11.57 seconds in the final, finishing ahead of Sneha S.S. and Giridharani Ravikumar.
However, athletics was not always part of Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 plans. During her early years, she played basketball. Her journey towards sprinting began in 2011, when she was 12 years old.
Inspired by her school physical education teacher, Nithya decided to participate in an inter-school ICSE Regional Sports Meet. Representing St Joseph School, Hyderabad, she entered the 100m race.
At the time, she had little knowledge of athletics. She had never seen a synthetic track and did not own a pair of spikes. She eventually competed barefoot.
Despite the difficulties surrounding her first competition, the experience sparked her interest in sprinting.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 School Training
Nithya Gandhe and Limited Resources
After the regional meet, her physical education teacher, V. Bhadra, noticed her natural ability and encouraged her to take athletics seriously.
For the next three years, Nithya trained under her school teacher with the limited facilities available at the time. She would arrive at school around 6am, practise on the school playground and then attend classes.
After school, she would stay back and train for another hour before returning home.
This routine continued until she completed Class 10 and became the foundation of her athletics journey.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Career Decision
After completing her board examinations, Nithya had to decide on her future studies and career.
Sports had never been her original plan. She wanted to become a doctor, but some of her relatives encouraged her to take athletics seriously. Their words helped her gain confidence and explore the possibility of becoming a professional athlete.
In 2016, Nithya joined the Sports Authority of India鈥檚 regional centre in Hyderabad for formal training.
Within two years, she won gold at the South Zone competition and also tasted success at the national level at the Youth Games.
Nithya Gandhe and Dutee Chand
Training at the SAI centre brought a significant change in Nithya鈥檚 performance. She began to believe that she could push herself further and achieve greater heights.
During this period, she also came across Indian sprinter Dutee Chand. Nithya was impressed by Chand鈥檚 speed and endurance and drew inspiration from her performances at the centre.
The experience helped Nithya understand the level of commitment required to progress in athletics.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 National Success
Nithya Gandhe at the All India University Meet
In 2017, Nithya participated in the All India University Meet and won gold for Osmania University, ending an eight-year wait for the university鈥檚 gold in the event.
The following year, she continued her progress at the junior level, winning gold in the 100m at the under-18 national meet.
These performances helped her move closer to the national level.
Nithya Gandhe and the National Camp
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Patiala Experience
Nithya later received an opportunity to train at the national camp in Patiala.
She described the experience as life-changing because she trained alongside competitors from different backgrounds and worked with foreign coaches for the first time.
Initially, adjusting to the new environment was difficult. She needed around six months to understand the training system, adapt to her coaches and learn what worked best for her.
The national camp also exposed her to a higher level of competition and helped her identify areas that required improvement.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Injury Setback
Nithya鈥檚 progress was interrupted by an overuse injury during her time at the national camp.
She suffered from shin pain, also known as shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome. The cold conditions in Patiala during the winter of 2020 aggravated the problem, forcing her to take a break from the national camp.
The setback was difficult, but it also gave her an opportunity to understand her body and identify the areas she needed to strengthen.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Return to Training
Before leaving the national camp, Nithya had a conversation with her coach, who encouraged her to trust the process and the coaches.
After returning to Hyderabad, she continued working towards a comeback. She eventually returned to competition, won at the Junior Nationals and earned another opportunity to enter the national camp.
She also focused on strengthening her body through regular exercises.
However, a change in coaching and training circumstances affected her performance. Her timing dropped to around 12 seconds from 11.8, and she was once again left out of the national camp.
The setback also meant that she could not qualify for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Nithya Gandhe Learns From Failure
Nithya Gandhe and Self-Improvement
Rather than allowing repeated setbacks to stop her progress, Nithya used them as opportunities for self-reflection.
She began analysing her performances after every failure and tried to understand what went wrong.
She realised that her stamina was dropping during the final stages of the 100m. As a result, she started working specifically on that area.
By the end of 2022, she returned to the national camp and recorded a personal best of 11.6 seconds.
Her comeback, however, was not complete. The team she was part of failed to qualify for the 4x100m relay at the Asian Games.
Instead of giving up after the disappointment, Nithya continued working on her strength and sprinting technique.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 2024 Comeback
Nithya Gandhe Wins National Open Gold
The hard work eventually produced a major breakthrough in 2024.
At the 63rd National Open Athletics Championships in Bengaluru, Nithya Gandhe won the women鈥檚 100m gold with a time of 11.57 seconds. Her official photo-finish time was 11.561 seconds, narrowly ahead of Sneha S.S., who recorded 11.563 seconds.
The result marked an important moment in Nithya鈥檚 career after years of injuries, setbacks and missed opportunities.
She also recorded a strong performance in the 200m at the same championships, winning the event in 23.51 seconds.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Training Approach
Nithya Gandhe and Daily Preparation
Nithya鈥檚 comeback was built around consistency and self-analysis.
She maintained records of her exercise routine and regularly analysed her training to understand what worked best for her.
Her approach involved listening to her body, discussing her training with coaches and making adjustments whenever necessary.
This process helped her improve both her physical preparation and her understanding of sprinting.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Bigger Goal
Nithya Gandhe and the 100m
Nithya wants to change the perception surrounding Indian women鈥檚 sprinting.
Her ambition is to see Indian athletes compete individually in the 100m at international competitions rather than being represented mainly through relay events.
She hopes to create a stronger presence for Indian women in the individual sprinting events and believes that athletes should focus on understanding their own bodies, qualities and characteristics.
Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 Message to Young Athletes
Nithya has faced criticism about her height, but she believes athletes should not allow outside opinions to define their potential.
Her journey shows the importance of understanding one鈥檚 own strengths and continuing to work despite setbacks.
From training on a school playground with limited resources to standing on the national podium, Nithya Gandhe鈥檚 story has been shaped by patience, self-belief and persistence.
