2 min readMay 16, 2026 10:11 PM ISTIndian middle-distance runner Parul Chaudhary in action. (FILE PHOTO: Olympics.com)Middle-distance runner Parul Chaudhary ran the second-fastest 3000m steeplechase race by an Indian woman to finish seventh in the season-opening Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Saturday. Parul, the national record holder, clocked 9 minutes 12.84 seconds, slightly slower than her personal best of 9:12.46.The 31-year-old from Uttar Pradesh was running her first race of the season after the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo and was up against a field which featured Tokyo Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai of Uganda and reigning World champion Faith Cherotich of Kenya.Parul started in the middle running pack and maintained a consistent pace throughout the race. She remained in eighth position till 2800m before producing a kick in the final 200m to go past USA’s Lexy Halladay to finish seventh and earned two points in the race for Diamond League Finals qualification.Parul has a packed calendar in the 2026 season with Commonwealth Games and Asian Games scheduled in the space of one month. While a double podium finish (in 3000 steeplechase and 5,000m) is expected from her at Aichi-Nagoya, the CWG will be a bigger challenge given the presence of African athletes in the middle-distance events.Parul is expected to race next at next week’s Federation Cup in Ranchi.It was a dramatic photo finish between Chemutai and Cherotich in Shanghai on Saturday. Chemutai, who took the lead at around 1200m, maintained it thereafter but broke into a premature celebration that almost cost her the race. Cherotich, who was closely following the Ugandan got into a sprint in the last 200m but fell short by 100th of a second.“I thought I had won. At the finish, I could see Faith’s right hand and I knew it was close. It is special to win today. It gives me confidence ahead of next week when I race again in Xiamen,” Chemutai said after the race. © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Diamond LeagueOlympicsAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogIran US War News LIVE Updates: Iranian MP says new mechanism to manage Strait of Hormuz, toll collections soon2 hours agoJustice Swarana Kanta Sharma won’t hear excise case, to continue with contempt action against Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, others15 hours agoTrump-Xi Summit LIVE: Meeting ends with Xi and Trump claiming progress but differences remain1 day agoWest Bengal HS 12th Result 2026 Highlights: Adrito Paul tops West Bengal HS results1 day agoTop News Headlines of May 14, 2026 | AAP MP writes to Punjab Governor after SATH activists blacken signboards over omission of Punjabi2 days ago