A lone Bhutanese para athlete will be competing at the 2025 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi in India, next month. Chimi Dema will participate in the women’s F40 shot-put category. It is her sixth time competing in an international championship.
31-year-old Chimi Dema from Monggar has dedicated her life to para shot put.
Since her international debut at the Beijing World Para Athletics Grand Prix in 2019, she has showcased her talent on the global stage, competing in five different international para athletic championships so far.
Currently, she is pursuing her degree at the Royal Thimphu College.
Chimi rigorously trains for two hours each in the morning and evening at the Bhutan Amateur Athletic Federation’s ground near Lungtenzampa.
“It has been a week since I began my training. Although it has been challenging for me to balance my studies and training, I am determined to push through. Once I finish my training, I am hopeful that I can exceed my previous personal best.”
Her coach, Lhaba Tshering is helping her with the training.
“I am confident she will show improvement compared to her past performances. It has been a week since she started, and she is already putting in hard work. With four to five more weeks of training ahead, there is plenty of time for progress. She is committed to performing well within the training schedule, and I will continue to support her in every way I can.”
Chimi’s current personal best was winning a silver medal with a 5.71-metre throw at the 2023 Indian Open Para Athletics Championship. She aspires to surpass that achievement at this year’s Grand Prix.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tshering Zam
