Manjit Singh (runner)


Manjit Singh is an Indian middle-distance runner who specialises in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events. He represented India at the 2018 Asian Games where he won the gold in the 800 metres event at Jakarta.

Personal life

Manjit was born in Ujhana village, Jind district, Haryana, to Randhir Chahal and Bimala Devi. He grew his passion for athletics from his father only, Randhir who himself was an field athlete, in discus throw and shot put. Manjit is married, have a son, names Abhir with wife Kiran. In his spare time he use to help his father in dairy, cattle and agriculture farming. He had a two-year contract job with ONGC from 2013 to 2016.

Career

2013−2017

In 2013 Manjit took part in his first international event, in the 2013 Asian Athletics Championships, at Pune, where he finished 4th place in the Men's 800 metres final clocking 1:49.70 mins. In 2014, he bagged a silver in the 800 metres in Federation Cup, but failed to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. After a long injury for one and half year, he took part in the National Inter-state Championship at Hyderabad winning silver then at Guntur and bettered his 800 m time, clocking 1:48.04 mins and winning silver on July 16, 2017. In the same event, on 18 July, he competed in the 1500m and finished with a timing 3:49.30 which was his personal best at that time.

2018

On March 7, 2018, in the Patiala Federation Cup, he competed in both 800 m and 1500 m and bettered his timings of 1500 m to 3:42.24 and qualified for 1500 m in the 2018 Asian Games.
On 27 August 2018, Manjit Singh, stunned everyone and compatriot Jinson Johnson to win gold in the Men's 800 metres at the Asian Games after 36 years for India where he clocked 1:46.15 as his personal best.

International competitions