The first competition is within yourself, Paralympic star Preeti Pal says

Dubai: The first race Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Preeti Pal ever won was not on a track. It was in her own mind.

“The first competition is within yourself,” she says. “If you think you cannot win, you have already lost.”

Long before she stood on the podium at the Paris 2024 Paralympics with two bronze medals around her neck, long before the national flag rose in a stadium far away from home, Preeti had to convince herself of one simple thing — that she belonged. “Everything is in your head. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Don’t let negative thoughts control you.

“If you win against your own doubts, you can win anywhere in the world,” says the 25-year-old two-time Paralympic medallist.

Born with cerebral palsy in Hashimpur, a small locality in Muzaffarnagar, India, Pal grew up without knowing that athletes like her had a global stage.

The Paralympics were not part of her world. Not yet. “I didn’t even know that the Paralympics existed.”

That changed one day while scrolling through social media. “One day I was scrolling through social media and saw videos of Paralympic athletes. I saw blade runners and I was amazed. I kept thinking, how are they running so fast?”

That moment planted a seed. “That’s when I realised that people like me can also compete internationally.”

Slowly, the thought formed: maybe she could do it too. Her early days in Para athletics were filled with curiosity and quiet determination. When she won her first 100m race at a local competition, something shifted. “In my first competition, I won gold in the 100 meters,” she recalls.

It was not just a medal — it was proof. “That was the moment I started believing in myself.”

But the road was not smooth. For nearly five years, Pal competed only at the state level. International exposure felt distant. Opportunities were limited.

When her opportunity finally arrived, she made it count.

At the Kobe 2024 World Championships, she made a lasting impact, winning two bronze medals in the women’s 100m and 200m T35 finals.

Not long after, she followed it up at the Paris 2024 Paralympics — Pal became one of India’s standout performers, clinching two bronze medals in the women’s 100m and 200m T35 events.

“Representing India in Paris was a wonderful experience,” she says. “Winning there is something I cannot describe in words. Even I couldn’t believe it.”

Back home, her family watched with pride. “My family always believed in my potential,” she says. “They didn’t expect gold, but when it happened, they were extremely happy.”

Her parents have never travelled internationally. “My parents have never even sat in an airplane,” she adds softly. “For them, seeing their daughter win for India was unbelievable.”

Paris, however, was not the finish line.

She continues to make her nation proud with her fantastic performances globally. At the recently concluded Fazza International Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, Preeti once again showed her growth — winning gold in the 100m T35 and silver in the 200m T35.

The performances were a reminder that she is not just a Paralympic medallist, but an athlete still rising. Hers was among India’s 16 gold medals from a total of 43 medals that saw the nation finish on top of the medals table. As she looks ahead to the season, Pal remains grounded, still chasing improvement, still chasing her personal best.