Manipur Gymnast Ariha Pangambam Clinches Asian Championship Medal

Imphal: Ariha Pangambam finally grabbed the podium spot she spent years chasing. The Manipur gymnast clawed her way from third in the qualification round to take the top position on the final day of the Asian Championships. She called the result overwhelming. The feat marked a career milestone that she struggled to put into words.

She competed with a calm head. This was not her first trip to the continental event, so the pressure did not rattle her. She had reached the final twice before, landing in fourth place once and fifth place another time. Those near misses fueled her work ethic.

She kept her eyes on the prize. The goal remained fixed in her mind during every training session leading up to the meet. Recalling her past struggles, she noted, "From that time onwards, I determined that I would return to the next Asian Championship and bring back a medal."