"This sport is not for you." This was the frequent response Khoirom Rejiya Devi got from home and from some coaches when she first took up cycling back in 2019. The Manipur-born cyclist representing Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 was a late convert to cycling after trying her hand at Sepak Takraw as a junior, but was overlooked for further selection. The 23-year-old silenced all those critics when she upset favourite Meenakshi Rohilla of Guru Nanak Dev University to clinch the women's 3km Pursuit gold at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium Cycling Velodrome in Jaipur.

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"From 2019, on the track, even at home, I faced so much mental stress that now every race feels like a challenge. And that is why I never think about who is in front of me. I have only one goal--to make myself the best cyclist in the country," Rejiya told SAI Media.

A Difficult Start

Daughter of a fisherman from Phubala village in Manipur's Bishnupur district, Rejiya was part of Manipur's Sepak Takraw team from 2014-2018, but by then it was quite clear that there was no future for her in that sport. "My father, in a drunken state, used to taunt me; people mocked me. There was a time when I cried every day. But then, in 2019, a friend said try cycling, because you run very fast," she said.

Overcoming Hurdles

But even that wasn't a smooth ride. Just when she was getting into the groove of competition and had participated in the 2020 Khelo India Youth Games, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Conditions at home worsened, but Rejiya kept training to keep her dream alive.

When things improved, she reached Delhi for national trials - only to hear the same response again: "You lack exposure; your timing is not good for the senior level." But this time, Rejiya didn't give up. She returned home, started running every morning, lost ten kilos, and then shifted her focus from sprint to endurance. She earned a place in the National Camp at Patiala by winning the 2021 Senior Nationals bronze medal in Jaipur and she hasn't looked back since.

The Decisive Victory

In 2022, she was part of the Indian women's team that won the historic bronze medal at the Asian Cycling Championships in Team Pursuit. By 2024, Rejiya was being counted among India's top pursuit racers, but Meenakshi was still the player to beat in this format. Rejiya finally got that opportunity in Jaipur, and the 23-year-old made the most of it by ending Meenakshi's hope of bagging all five gold medals at the Games.

"To beat Meenakshi, you need intelligence, strength and strategy--all three. I knew she had been racing continuously for the past five days. The moment I sensed her fatigue increasing, I picked up my pace," said Rejiya, who had won the Asmita League last year. "Meenakshi is a champion athlete. She doesn't like losing, and neither do I. I have faced so much neglect in my life that now I am always hungry for achievement. With this victory, I have answered myself and all those people who once said I couldn't do it. There is no athlete better than her (Meenakshi) in the 3km pursuit, so defeating her is a special achievement for me," Rejiya added.

A Champion's Praise

Winning is one thing, but receiving praise from your rival afterwards is another kind of honour. Meenakshi, who won four gold medals and one silver at KIUG Rajasthan, hugged Rejiya after the race, patted her back, and said with a smile, "Rejiya is one of the strongest cyclists from our team. We train together at NSNIS Patiala. I am happy that she won. Although there is some pain in my heart that I lost in my favourite event, I wholeheartedly congratulate her on her victory."(ANI)