Chennai athlete overcomes body shaming to break Indian record

Chennai: A 23-year-old from Chennai has fought body shaming and years of rejection to become a record-breaking athlete for India.

Krishna Jayasankar Menon was first spotted by a PE teacher during a lunch break at school in Chennai. That chance moment began a journey defined by dawn training sessions, moving abroad to compete, and repeated setbacks before her breakthrough.

After years of rejection, Menon delivered a record-breaking throw that now puts her among India’s top athletes in her field. Her story highlights the barriers many women in sport still face, from body shaming to lack of early support, and the persistence required to overcome them.

Today, Krishna is the first Indian woman to cross the 16-metre mark in indoor shot put, the first Indian female thrower to receive an NCAA Division I scholarship, and one of the country’s most compelling field athletes.