Imphal | Manipur’s Bhumeshwory Devi Huidrom added another chapter to the state’s rich sporting legacy by clinching a bronze medal in the women’s 800m event at the 2026 Asian U23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China.

The 22-year-old middle-distance runner clocked 2:10.20 to finish third in a closely contested race on July 12, edging China’s Gejing Zhu by a narrow margin of 0.03 seconds to secure a place on the podium.

Uzbekistan’s Jonbibi Hukmova claimed the gold medal with a time of 2:08.41, while Japan’s Kurumi Sugure took silver in 2:09.42.

With the achievement, Bhumeshwory became one of the few athletes from Northeast India to win a medal in an international track event, marking a significant milestone for both Manipur and Indian athletics.

A native of Huidrom Awang Leikai in Manipur, Bhumeshwory began her athletics career in 2017 at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Takyel, Imphal. Following the closure of the programme, she shifted to Bhopal to continue her training and pursue her sporting ambitions.

Her steady rise in the sport earned her a place in the IOCL Project Shakti programme, a high-performance initiative supported by the Sports Authority of India, the Athletics Federation of India and Indian Oil Corporation Limited, aimed at preparing athletes for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Currently training at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru under Italian coach Claudio Pannozzo, Bhumeshwory has established herself as one of the country’s promising middle-distance runners.

Before her success in China, she won gold medals at the Indian Grand Prix and the Open Athletics Meet, besides securing a silver medal at the 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.

Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh congratulated the athlete on her achievement, describing the medal as a proud moment for Manipur and India. In a social media post, he lauded her dedication, perseverance and talent, saying her success would inspire aspiring athletes across the region.

Bhumeshwory’s podium finish further underlines Manipur’s reputation as one of India’s leading sporting hubs, producing athletes who continue to excel on national and international stages.