Truck driver's daughter Manisha creates history with relay gold!

Manisha Kumari created history as the first athlete from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district to win gold in an international event when she triumphed in the women's 4x400m relay at the South Asian Athletics Championships 2025, in Ranchi, on Tuesday.

Manisha, M R Poovamma, Neeru Pathak and Olimba Steffi clocked 3.34.70 seconds to claim the gold in the women's relay event ahead of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Hailing from Utpur village, 24-year-old Manisha is the daughter of Ramesh Chand, a truck driver, and Sheela Devi, a homemaker.

Congratulating her, District Athletics Association

president Pankaj Bhartiya said she has brought great honour to the state and is the first athlete trained at the Government PG College, Hamirpur's synthetic sports ground to achieve such a distinction.

"Over the past two years, Manisha has shown consistent performance at the national level. She secured her place in the national team after winning gold in the 400 metres race at the Open Athletics Competition held in Sangrur, Punjab, clocking 53.81 seconds," he said.

Manisha also won a bronze medal at the 64th National Inter-State Championship, he added.

Speaking about her achievement, she said that it is a win for all the daughters of the state. Manisha further said that before the championship, she had made a promise to bring home a medal.

She thanked the Hamirpur District Athletics Association, the Himachal Pradesh Athletics Association, her parents, teachers, and coaches for their constant encouragement and support throughout her journey.