Jaipur, Dec. 9 -- "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.

"From 2019, on the track, even at home, I faced so much mental stress that now every race ...