Jagdalpur, April 1 -- On December 29, 2025, Bethlyne Grace Makri's coaches at the SAI Sports Training Centre (STC), Shillong, suddenly discovered a spark in the teenager as a race-walker. Ironically, Bethlyne herself knew almost nothing about the event, let alone its technical demands.
Until last year, the young athlete from Meghalaya had been competing as a middle and long-distance runner. But at the start of 2026, she was asked to switch disciplines, testing both her physical and mental strength.
Hailing from the Khasi tribe, Bethlyne found the transition extremely demanding. The first few weeks were particularly challenging as she battled severe lower-body pain while trying to adapt to the unfamiliar technique of race walking. Sleeples...