Back on the track after a hamstring injury, the talented Priya Habbathanahalli Mohan aims to become the fastest quarter-miler of the country once again with the aim of bagging a medal in the upcoming Asian Games under the guidance of new Cuban coach Anier Garcia.
Priya emerged as the fastest women’s 400-metre runner in 2021 with a time of 52.77 seconds when she was just 18 and competing at the junior level then.
Two years later, after failing to win individual medals in two world U-20 championships, she said she needed a new beginning.
Two months ago, she parted ways with her long-time coach, Arjun Ajay, who spotted her during a national school meet in 2018, and is now training at the Inspire Institute of Sport at Bellary in Karnataka under Cuba’s Anier Garcia, the 2000 Olympic 110-metre hurdles champion.
“I have had ups and downs in these four years of my career.
Once you go up, you have to come down. That fall is important in an athlete’s life because it teaches you the lessons required in order to make a stronger comeback,” Priya stated in an interaction.
“I have started with a new coach. I feel this is a new beginning. We have many more targets to achieve. I will try to become the fastest quarter-miler in 2023 and try and win a medal in the Asian Games, but I can’t promise.”
The bronze medal winner at the 2018 Asian Games had clocked 52.63 seconds. The 20-year-old has a personal best of 52.37 seconds, which she clocked last year.
She was part of the bronze-winning Indian 4×400 mixed relay team in the 2021 World U-20 Championships and the silver-winning
team in 2022.