Nineteen-year-old sprinter Kajal Vaja from Gujarat has added another milestone to her growing athletics career, helping India win a silver medal in the women’s 4x100m relay at the 22nd Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.
Hailing from Chorwad village in Junagadh district, Kajal was part of the Indian relay team along with Bhavna from Tamil Nadu, Arti from Haryana, and Nipam from Uttar Pradesh. The quartet clocked 45.05 seconds to secure the silver medal and set a new national U-20 record, surpassing the previous mark of 45.08 seconds.
Kajal’s achievement is a remarkable story of perseverance and determination. Her father, Hirabhai Vaja, works as a farm labourer, and despite financial constraints, she remained committed to pursuing athletics at the highest level. To focus on training and competition, she even took a drop year during Class 12.
Family members and coaches credit her success to years of hard work and dedication. Her uncle, Manthan Dabhi, said Kajal had shown exceptional sporting talent since her school days, while coach Shivam Upadhyay described her as one of India’s most promising young sprinters, known for her discipline, confidence, and strong competitive spirit.
The Hong Kong silver medal adds to an impressive list of achievements. Earlier this year, Kajal won silver in the 4x100m relay at the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi. She also holds the national U-20 record in the 60m event.
In March, she won gold at the First Indoor Open Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar and created a national record in the 60m sprint with a timing of 7.50 seconds.
Kajal’s athletics journey began under the Sports Authority of Gujarat’s school programme. She later trained at the District Level Sports School in Kodinar before being selected for the High-Performance Centre in Nadiad in 2023, where she continues to receive advanced coaching and support.
Congratulating Kajal and the Indian relay team, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said her achievement was a proud moment for both the state and the country.
Kajal’s success comes shortly after Gujarat athlete Rahul Jakhar won gold in the decathlon at the same championship while setting a new national record, highlighting the growing strength of the state’s athletics programme.
With a string of record-breaking performances and international medals to her name, Kajal Vaja is fast emerging as one of India’s brightest sprinting talents.