Keerthana's journey of relentless determination: From losing her father at 9 to winning 100m gold at KIUG

Every athlete has a moment that defines everything they've fought for. For Keerthana, that moment came in Jaipur, where the Udupi-born sprinter clocked 11.94 seconds to win the women's 100m gold at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025, a triumph that was years in the making.

Now a second-year Master of Commerce student at Jain University, Keerthana delivered the University's first gold medal outside the swimming pool, stamping her arrival as one of the most exciting young sprinters on the circuit. But behind the bright finish on the track lies a story of personal setbacks and stubborn perseverance.

Keerthana was a nine-year-old girl studying in Class 3 when she lost her father to cardiac arrest, a moment that shook her family's world.

Years later, the young athlete would lose her coach too in an accident, another emotional blow that could easily have pushed her away from the sport. She had started her career as a 400m runner, but a groin injury almost derailed her dreams. Instead, it forced a turning point.

Her elder brother, a private PT teacher and the family's sole breadwinner, stepped in when Keerthana needed direction the most. He took full charge of her training and, in 2021, made a bold call to shift her to the 100m, where her natural speed could shine and her body could heal. Since then, the two have formed a quiet, determined team, training privately and rebuilding both confidence and rhythm.

From there, Keerthana refused to slow down. Over the next two years, she began settling into the 100m sprint, steadily sharpening her speed and confidence. Her breakthrough came in 2022, when she was part of the silver-winning 4x400m relay team at the Khelo India University Games, held in Bengaluru. That same season, she bagged her first relay gold at the All India Inter-University Games, followed by a silver in the same event in Chennai, the next year.

By March 2023, her progress was measurable, she clocked a Personal Best of 11.86 seconds at a U-23 state meet, a mark she arrived in Jaipur hoping to eclipse.

The upward curve has continued ever since, and Monday's gold in the Pink City stands out as a milestone, her first individual medal at the KIUG after earlier successes in the 4x400m relay across the past two editions.

"I wanted to better my personal best, but unfortunately couldn't. Nevertheless, the victory at the Khelo India University Games is special because it's my first individual gold," the 22-year-old said, her smile revealing both pride and a flicker of disappointment at missing that PB of 11.86s.

A 2017 School Games medallist and now a familiar name across three KIUG editions, Keerthana understands that this chapter of her career is still unfolding. And she isn't done yet in Jaipur. She will return to the track on the final day of track and field competitions in KIUG 2025 for the women's 4x400m relay, aiming to add another medal to her growing list.

"We've prepared well for the relay, and we're looking forward to winning another gold," she said with quiet confidence.

With the season drawing to a close, Keerthana is already looking towards a busy 2026, but the priority remains firmly on staying injury-free, a lesson ingrained from her early struggles. As the focus turns to the Asian Games next year, Keerthana is determined to give herself the best chance.