Parth Singh, who ran for Jharkhand despite living in Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), is no stranger to praise. On Friday night at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, he won gold in the Under-20 men’s 100 meter final with a timing of 10.52 seconds. As soon as he crossed the finish line, reporters surrounded him and started asking questions. Parth answered with confidence and ease, with a slight South Asian tinge to his accent. He spoke openly about his race, preparation and future plans.
More than 60 events are being organized in the National Junior Athletics Championship in Under-14, Under-16, Under-18 and Under-20 groups… and Parth’s performance stood out among them.
Three races, long jump and mental toughness
The 100m final was his third race of the day – after the qualifiers and semi-finals. Earlier, he had already qualified for the long jump final by jumping 7.43 meters in his first attempt. His body was tired after the long air journey, and he was completely exhausted mentally and emotionally.
Sharing his experience, Parth said, ‘I told myself – stay calm, just keep breathing. My body was saying, ‘Man, I have to sleep, I have to go home.’ Last night, I almost cried while being alone in the hotel. It was difficult for me to sleep alone in a new place. Everything seemed heavy. I was afraid that I might not perform well. But then said to myself- ‘Okay, I have to show India that I too am here. I am a candidate for the World and Asian Championships and I can do it. I have to prove myself.
False start and belligerence
There were two false starts in the 100m final, which affected the morale of the game. He said, ‘For the first time when it was said that some people had moved, I was left wondering. The second time I was very careful and went slowly through the blocks. Said to myself for the third time- ‘Keep calm, you can do it. I was behind in the first 30 metres, but then picked up my pace and performed well on the rest of the track. Only the first 30 meters were lacking.
In the end, Parth was a bit disappointed as his time was slightly behind the U20 World Championship qualifying mark of 10.50 seconds. Yet he showed the ability to transform his mental challenge into inspiration.
He said, ‘Next time I run, the first 30 meters will be my biggest test.’
Tyson Gay’s T-shirt and inspiration
After 10 minutes of the interview, Parth returned in a black T-shirt, on which the 100 Meter Times story of American sprinter Tyson Gay was printed. This T-shirt was a gift from his coach Yu Wen Long.
He said, ‘My coach gave me this T-shirt. It contains all of Tyson Gay’s 100m times, the story of his reaching 9.69 seconds. I want to take his legacy forward and my target is 2028 Olympics.
Parth considered Tyson Gay as his ideal not only for his speed but also for his courage and passion. He said, ‘His daughter Trinity, who was an athlete herself, was killed in the firing. Still he did not stop running. Staying connected to your passion even after losing a loved one is a huge inspiration for me. Every sportsperson goes through some difficulty, be it Usain Bolt or Yohan Blake… but getting back on track even after losing someone close to you… is something else. I respect Tyson Gay very much.
Parth linked his victory to Tyson Gay’s goal of personal best – ‘I have reached here now, but my target is 9.69 seconds. First we have to cross these two 10 second times.
taipei my home, india my country
Parth’s family lives in Chinese Taipei, but his heart always beats for India. He said, ‘Taiwan is a very nice place, but India is my motherland. This is where I was born and grew up. Both my parents are from India. Even if I get a chance, I would love to represent India. Chinese Taipei is my home, but India is my nation.
Long jump: feeling like flying
As Parth is progressing in sprint, his love for long jump also continues – I don’t want to give up long jump. When I jump, it feels like I’m flying. This feeling is not achieved in 100 meters. The body feels amazing while flying.
His idols are Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis, who made history in both the 100 meters and long jump.
Clear stance on doping
Parth expressed mature thinking towards doping. He said, ‘How much hard work you have done for that one race, that hard work can be lost due to one wrong medicine. I check every medicine app and tell the doctor that I am an athlete. Running is happiness in itself. Work hard, you can run faster – no shortcuts needed.
journey to the top
Parth Singh’s journey is just beginning. Tyson Gay’s timeline printed on his chest reminds him every day how high the goal is and how hard work is necessary to achieve it.
His victory on the track of Bhubaneswar made it clear that this young runner is not only fast but also mentally of Olympic level. Now he has only one dream in his eyes – to run in the 2028 Olympics carrying the flag of India.
(Sandeep Mishra, our guest author, is one of the finest writers of track and field stories. His book Gunned Down: The Murder of an Olympic Champion Recently published)
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