Who Is K M Deeksha? Athlete Sets New National Record For 1500M Race

Indian track athlete K M Deeksha created history on May 11, breaking the national women's record in the 1,500-metre race at the Sound Running Track Fest in Los Angeles. She finished third in the final after running the distance in 4:04.78. The previous record was set by Harmilan Bains at the National Open Athletics Championships 2021 in Warangal, clocking 4:05.39. Meanwhile, Parul Chaudhary ran 15:10.69s in the women’s 5000m to finish fifth at the LA championship, while compatriot Ankita ended 10th with a time of 15:28.88. 

Who Is K M Deeksha?

Born on January 1, 1999, K M Deeksha belongs to Amroha in Uttar Pradesh. The 25-year-old had been training under coach S K Prasad at the Madhya Pradesh Athletics Academy for the last five years.

She told the Athletics Foundation of India in a 2023 interview that her parents encouraged her to join the Indian Army. However, facing gender barriers made it difficult for her to foray into the military. 

According to the World Athletics Organisation, K M Deeksha made her 800-metre (clocking 2:14.46) and 1,500-metre (clocking 4:37.32) debut in Lucknow in August 2019. She clocked 2:04.35 in her latest 800-metre race.

KM Deeksha, middle distance runner, has plans to give her best at #Hangzhou #AsianGames. @Adille1 pic.twitter.com/Ea284yF7Ca

— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) September 28, 2023

Deeksha then set her mind to sports, owing to her mother's unwavering support. Her journey in athletics started with a 200-metre track in her small town, where she won a State-level championship. 

Before her national record scripting run on May 11, Deeksha's personal best was a time of 4:06.07 when she won gold in the final of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in 2023.

GOOD NEWS
KM Deeksha clocked 4:04.78 seconds, to better national women’s 1500m record of 4:05.39 set by Harmilan Bains in 2021, at Sound Running Track Festival in Los Angeles.@Paris2024 #Olympics #Paris2024 @Media_SAI

— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) May 12, 2024

The earlier national record in the 1,500-metre event was set by Bains, before which, Sunita Rani held the national record of 4:06:03 for 19 years, made at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. 

Deeksha marked 4:27.77 in the 1,500 women's race at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in October 2023. She is World Number 192 in women's 1,500 metres.