India, March 13 -- For 23-year-old Ishika Phogaat, running has never been solely about winning races. Her father, who also coaches her, recalls how she would often resist when asked to train harder. "She would say, 'jyada mat bola karo mujhe' (don't keep pestering me to run all the time)," he says. Yet the encouragement from her parents never stopped. Her mother, Savita, remembers that Ishika would sometimes say she wanted to run behind other competitors so she could help anyone who fell during a race-a remark that often brought laughter at home.

Born with one kidney, Ishika faced difficulties during her early schooling and studied in a regular school until Class 8. After that, her parents opted for homeschooling and now, years later, af...