Sudha Singh

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Sudha Singh

| image = Sudha Singh, Gold Medalist For India In 3000m SC.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Singh in 2016

| fullname = Sudha Singh

| nickname =

| nationality = Indian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|6|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, India

| height={{height|m=1.58}}

| weight={{cvt|45|kg}}

| country = India

| sport = Track and field

| event = 3000 metres steeplechase

| club = Railways

| team =

| turnedpro =

| retired =

| coaching =

| worlds =

| regionals =

| nationals =

| olympics =

| paralympics =

| highestranking =

| pb = 9:26:55 (Shanghai 2016)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}

| updated = 9 July 2017

}}

Sudha Singh (born 25 June 1986) is an Indian Olympic athlete in the 3000 metres steeplechase event. A national record holder in the event, she has represented India at international events since 2005. Singh is an Asian Champion in the discipline and has won two gold and four silver medals at varying editions of the Asian Games and the continental championships.

Singh's breakthrough came at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, where she won the gold medal in steeplechase. She has since won a gold at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar and a silver at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and has represented India at two consecutive Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016. Singh was conferred with India's second highest sporting honour, the Arjuna Award in 2012.She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1692337 |title=Padma Awards 2021 announced |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs | access-date=26 January 2021}}{{cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/shinzo-abe-tarun-gogoi-ram-vilas-paswan-among-padma-award-winners-complete-list/articleshow/80453596.cms |title=Shinzo Abe, Tarun Gogoi, Ram Vilas Paswan among Padma Award winners: Complete list |work=The Times of India |date=25 January 2021 |access-date=25 January 2021}}

Career

Singh's breakthrough performance came in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China when she won the gold medal with a time of 9:55.67; she became the first Asian Champion in the discipline as it was the first instance of the 3000 meters steeplechase at the Asian Games.{{cite web|url=https://en.asiangames2018.id/athletes/athlete/SINGH-Sudha-3000808/|title=Sudha Singh|publisher=2018 Asian Games|access-date=28 August 2018}}

In June 2012, Singh qualified for Olympic Games 2012 after she broke her own 3,000m steeplechase national record with a timing of 9:47.70 secs.{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tournaments/london-olympics/Steeplechase-runner-Sudha-bags-Olympic-berth/articleshow/13922387.cms|title=Sudha Singh

|website=The Times of India

|date=8 June 2012

|access-date=2012-06-08}} At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Singh finished 13th in her steeplechase heat and did not qualify for the finals.{{cite web|url=http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/women-3km-steeplechase/index.html|title=London 2012 3000m steeplechase women - Olympic Athletics|date=9 August 2016|access-date=4 August 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205103154/http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/women-3km-steeplechase/index.html|archive-date=5 December 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

In the 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea, Sudha finished fourth, one place behind Lalita Babar who not only won the bronze medal in the 3000m steeplechase event but also broke Sudha's national record, clocking 9:35.37 in the process.{{Cite web|title = Athletes_Profile {{!}} Biographies {{!}} Sports|url = http://www.incheon2014ag.org/Sports/Biographies/Athletes_Profile/?ParticCode=5118879&lang=en|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201122020022/http://www.incheon2014ag.org/Sports/Biographies/Athletes_Profile/?ParticCode=5118879&lang=en|url-status = usurped|archive-date = 22 November 2020|website = www.incheon2014ag.org|access-date = 2015-11-02}} However, the gold medallist Ruth Jebet from Bahrain was disqualified on account of stepping inside the track before crossing the line, and Singh was promoted and won the bronze medal.{{Cite web|title = Asian Games 2014: Lalita wins silver, Sudha bronze in steeplechase|url = http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/asian-games-2014-lalita-wins-silver-sudha-bronze-in-steeplechase-716821.html|website = IBNLive|access-date = 2015-11-02}}

In August 2015, Sudha Singh sealed her spot in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a 19th-place finish in the women's marathon event, one place behind O.P.Jaisha in Beijing. Singh finished just behind Jaisha at 19th with a time of 2:35:35.{{Cite web|title = World Athletics Championships: India's Jaisha Orchatteri breaks national record in women's marathon - Times of India|url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/World-Athletics-Championships-Indias-Jaisha-Orchatteri-breaks-national-record-in-womens-marathon/articleshow/48728686.cms|website = The Times of India| date=30 August 2015 |access-date = 2015-11-02}}

Maharashtra's Lalita Babar finished the 3000 meters steeplechase in 9:27.09 to win the gold and set the national record while Sudha, representing Uttar Pradesh, came up with a timing of 9:31.86 and bettered the Rio Games qualification standard of 9:45.00 on the second and penultimate day of the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships in Delhi.[http://indianexpress.com/sports/rio-2016-olympics/sudha-singh-women-marathon-2923813/], Sudha Singh Profile: Women’s Marathon. Singh bettered the national Record in May 2016, at the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) Diamond League in Shanghai.{{Cite news |url = https://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/national-record-a-gift-for-india-s-support-steeplechaser-sudha-singh/story-zUIqWcXotQy21aqUfvaiXK.html| title=National record a gift for India's support: Steeplechaser Sudha Singh | date=16 May 2016 | newspaper=Hindustan Times | access-date =2 May 2018}}

At the 2016 Summer Olympics Singh took ill after competing and returned to India, where she was diagnosed with swine flu and ruled out from competition for the rest of the season.[http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-rio-olympian-sudha-singh-tested-positive-for-swine-flu-not-zika-2248251 Rio Olympian Sudha Singh tested positive for Swine Flu, not Zika]. DNA India (2016-08-23). Retrieved on 2016-08-24.

Singh participated in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, having trained under her new coaches Lalit Bhanot and Renu Kolhi. She won the silver medal in the 3000 meters steeplechase with a time of 9:40.04 minutes.{{cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/sports/asian-games/asian-games-2018-sudha-singh-womens-3000m-steeplechase-silver-medal|title=Asian Games: Sudha Singh Wins Silver in Women's 3000m Steeplechase|work=The Quint|access-date=28 August 2018|date=27 August 2018}} Singh told The Quint that she was dropped from the team owing to her age, but was happy that she could come up with a medal under the tutelage of her new support staff. She said: "I am very happy that I won the medal despite everyone telling me that I'm too old to compete at the International circuit [...] My critics have motivated me to do better."{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6GY_q-nk2Xs|title='I've Proven my Critics Wrong': Sudha Singh on Asian Games Silver|work=The Quint|via=YouTube|access-date=28 August 2018|date=27 August 2018}}

Awards and honours

Following her gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games, Singh was awarded the Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji International Sports Award by Government of Uttar Pradesh. Singh was subsequently conferred with the Arjuna Award (India's second highest sporting honour) by the Government of India in 2012.

International competitions

{{AchievementTable\|Event=yes}}
colspan="6"\|Representing {{IND}}
2009 \|Asian Championships \|Guangzhou, China \|bgcolor=silver\|{{silver2}} \|3000 m s'chase \|10:10.77
rowspan=2\|2010 \|Commonwealth Games \|Delhi, India \|5th \|3000 m s'chase \|9:57.63
Asian Games \|Guangzhou, China \|bgcolor=gold\|{{gold1}} \|3000 m s'chase \|9:55.67
2011 \|Asian Championships \|Kobe, Japan \|bgcolor=silver\|{{silver2}} \|3000 m s'chase \|10:08.52
2012 \|Olympic Games \|London, United Kingdom \|21st (h) \|3000 m s'chase \|9:48.86
rowspan=2\|2013 \|Asian Championships \|Pune, India \|bgcolor=silver\|{{silver2}} \|3000 m s'chase \|10:09.80
World Championships \|Moscow, Russia \|23rd (h) \|3000 m s'chase \|9:51.05
2014 \|Asian Games \|Incheon, South Korea \|4th \|3000 m s'chase \|9:35.64
2015 \|World Championships \|Beijing, China \|19th \|Marathon \|2:35:35
2016 \|Olympic Games \|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil \|30th (h) \|3000 m s'chase \|9:43.29
2017 \|Asian Championships \|Bhubaneswar, India \|bgcolor=gold\|{{gold1}} \|3000 m s'chase \|9:59.47
2018 \|Asian Games \|Jakarta, Indonesia \|bgcolor=silver\|{{silver2}} \|3000 m s'chase \|9:40.03

colspan="6"|Representing {{IND}}

2009

|Asian Championships

|Guangzhou, China

|bgcolor=silver|{{silver2}}

|3000 m s'chase

|10:10.77

rowspan=2|2010

|Commonwealth Games

|Delhi, India

|5th

|3000 m s'chase