Phyrnai Kyndait, a resident of East Jaintia Hills, has emerged as one of the rising stars of cycling, showcasing her talent at the 5th Meghalaya Games in Tura.
The 21-year-old fourth semester BA student is aiming for more, though, in the national and international arenas.
A dreamer from a humble background, the simple joy of riding a bicycle in childhood laid the foundation for her future endeavours.
However, it was in track and field that she found her first sporting successes. Indeed, in the 4th Meghalaya Games in 2022 she won a silver medal.
That same year, though, her journey took a significant turn when she participated in a competition organised by the West Jaintia Adventure Cycling Association in Jowai.
Her debut as a cycling athlete saw her clinch a gold medal at that competition, an accomplishment she repeated in a subsequent event from Jowai to Amlarem. The victories did not stop there; Phyrnai secured the top spot in a national trial run in Mawkyrwat conducted by the Meghalaya Cycling Association.
The pinnacle of her achievements came when she represented Meghalaya at the international level MTB Tawang National CFI, earning yet another gold.
At the ongoing 5th Meghalaya Games Phyrnai, who does not have a formal coach, clinched the gold in the crosscountry women’s open category cycling event.
Phyrnai credits her family, particularly her brother, for being the pillars of support in her sporting journey. Her brother, once a cyclist himself, provided the inspiration and the means for Phyrnai to pursue her passion. Her brother’s bike became the catalyst for her entry into the world of competitive cycling. Her daily routine involves early morning runs of 5-10km and cycling for at least two hours, both in the morning and evening.
“When I go outside the state to compete, I meet many professional riders and in comparison to their available equipment we still lack a lot,” she said. “Coming from a humble family, it is quite a challenge for me to be able to afford a better professional cycle because they are quite expensive. Financial constraints pose a significant hurdle, with professional cycles being expensive investments. All that I aspire for is to be able to get a better professional cycle and to get the best of coaching regarding the sport because I want to make the name of my state and the country shine bright in the international game.”
