Ajay Kumar Saroj

Ajay Kumar Saroj (born 1 May 1997) is an Indian middle-distance runner. He won gold medals in the 1500 m event at the 2016 South Asian Games and the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships. He also won Gold medal in 1500 m event at South Asian Games 2019.

Ajay Kumar Saroj
Saroj at the 2017 Asian Championships
Personal information
Born1 May 1997 (1997-05) (age 26)
Allahabad, India[1]
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)800 & 1500 m
Coached byJaswinder Bhatia[1]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)800 m – 1:49.05 (2017)
1500 m – 3:38.24(2023)[2]
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  India
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place2022 Hangzhou1500 m
Asian Athletics Championships
Gold medal – first place2023 Bangkok1500 m
Gold medal – first place2017 Bhubaneswar1500 m
Silver medal – second place2019 Doha1500 m
South Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2016 Guwahati1500 m
Bronze medal – third place2016 Guwahati800 m
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
Gold medal – first place 2017 Ashgabat 1500 m
Asian Youth Games
Bronze medal – third place2013 Nanjing1500 m

Early life

Ajay Kumar Saroj hails from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Saroj is the youngest of three brothers, and has three sisters. His father is a farmer and his mother is a housewife. He took up athletics at age 15.[1]

Career

Noticing his lack of interest in academics, his family encouraged him to take up sport at a young age. An avid learner, he used to watch the Olympic Games on television to learn the nuances of athletics. Beginning his career on track with 400m, Saroj, on the suggestion of his coach, shifted his focus to 1500m & 800m.

He is currently supported by the GoSports Foundation through the GoSports Long Term Athlete Development Programme.[3]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ajay Kumar Saroj.
  1. Ajay Kumar Saroj is gunning for Bahadur Prasad’s 1995 national record in the 1500m after Odisha win. scroll.in
  2. . IAAF
  3. "Our Programmes". GoSports Foundation. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
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