Dhanalakshmi Sekar sprints back to relevance at the 2025 National Senior Inter-State C'ships

In August 2022, Dhanalakshmi Sekar’s career came to a screeching halt after failing an out-of-competition dope test earlier that year. 

For many, it was to be the the end of the then 24-year old sprinter's career. Fast-forward three year and on a warm evening at the 2025 Inter-State Senior National Athletics Championships in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Dhanalakshmi silenced her critics with a stunning victory in the women’s 100m final, her first senior event of prominence since the ban-induced layoff.

Clocking a personal best of 11.36 seconds, the now 27-year old claimed the gold medal in style, proving that resilience and relentless hard work can script second chances. Yet, even in triumph, the sprinter wasn’t fully satisfied.

“I’m happy with the gold, but I wanted more,” she admitted candidly to The Bridge after the race. “My target was to at least breach the meet record. That’s still on my mind.”

Dominating the field

Dhanalakshmi’s 100m gold came in a highly competitive field at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. While her 11.36s sprint was a personal best, she was pursued to the hilt by Tamil Nadu’s Abinaya Rajarajan (11.58s) and Sneha S.S. of Karnataka (11.61s), who finished second and third respectively.

The race also featured strong performances from Nithya Gandhe (Telangana), who narrowly missed the podium with a time of 11.61s, and Sakshi Chavan (Gujarat), who clocked 11.70s. 

Other finalists included Maharashtra's Sudesha Shivankar (11.75s), Kerala's Jilna M V (11.80s), and seasoned sprinter Odisha's Srabani Nanda (11.84s).

Despite the tough competition, Dhanalakshmi held her composure to storm past the finish line first, underscoring her determination to reclaim her place among India’s elite sprinters.

But the road to redemption has been a rather long one.

For the first year after her suspension, the sprinter from Tamil Nadu stayed away from the track, focusing on her job with the Electricity Board in Trichy. The next two years were a grind, marked by intense training sessions, sacrifices, and the mental battle of rebuilding a reputation.

“In the three years, the first year was just a break,” Dhanalakshmi recalled. “Since it was a long gap, I wanted to give a strong comeback. For the next two years, I trained hard. My coach supported me, Latha ma’am helped me register for the event, and my department stood by me.”

Her coach, Manikanda Arumugam, played a pivotal role in the revival, pushing her through the toughest phases when doubts and negativity loomed large.

Facing the heat, on and off the track

Soon after her ban, Dhanalakshmi was ostracized. Social media in particular, was unforgiving. Hate comments poured in, some questioning her credibility, others simple wrote her off completely.

“A lot of people didn’t support me, though no one said it directly to my face,” she said. “I received a lot of hatred online, but I just didn’t pay attention. My only focus was to perform better and silence all critics.”

The Inter-State Nationals incidentally was not her first step back. She had marked her return on July 27 this year at the Indian Open Athletics Meeting in Sangrur, clocking 11.55s. But this gold medal, achieved against a strong field, carries greater weight according to her.

“I’m happy with the gold medal, especially because it was a tough contest with several top athletes fighting for the top honours,” she said.

Resolve amidst regret

Even as she basked in victory on Wednesday night, the Hangzhou Asian Games remains a painful memory.

“I missed the Asian Games,” she admitted. “The medal winners were close to my timing, and I felt I could have finished on the podium had I competed.”

As for the ban, it still lingers in her thoughts.

“I don’t know what happened and haven’t been able to understand yet. I still think about it every day,” she said, a rare moment of vulnerability amid her determined tone.

That said, Dhanalakshmi is now looking ahead and her ambitions are crystal clear: “My aim is only one, to break the national record in 100m and 200m, first in the 100m event,” she said.

And when quizzed about the relays, her response is firm: “No plans yet. My full focus is on individual events.”

Her next challenge comes just a couple of days later at the same venue, where she will line up in the women’s 200m.

“One step at a time,” she smiled. “First, I want to break the meet record in 200m and then set my sights on the national record.”

For an athlete who spent years in the shadows, the golden glow of victory feels sweeter than ever. From the weight of a ban to the weight of a medal around her neck, Dhanalakshmi Sekar has now sprinted back into relevance, and she is only getting started.