Historic Hurdles: Meet Balwinder Singh Sethi

Born and raised in Chandigarh, India, track and field star, Balwinder Singh Sethi, has experienced many hurdles in life. But that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his dreams. On his search for his next university, Balwinder was looking for a school that combined an ideal environment of both sports and study. After connecting with CBU Track and Field Head Coach, John Hudec, Balwinder decided CBU was the perfect choice for him. 

Balwinder says the faculty, infrastructure and multicultural environment of CBU are what make the University stand out amongst others. He says managing work and studying for his post baccalaureate diploma in supply chain management program is demanding enough, not to mention adding 4-5 training sessions per week on top of that. It is constant support from his coaches, teammates and professors that have allowed Balwinder to manage his high workload while making the most of his university experience. 

“My coaches and teammates always motivate me in practice and competitions,” says the competitive hurdler. “Their constant encouragement has been a source of strength for me.” Balwinder says having such strong guidance during training sessions has allowed him to exponentially improve his performance. 

On March 18, 2022, Balwinder was able to etch his name into CBU history books, securing the University’s first AUS medal for the track and field program. Balwinder highlights this feat as his most memorable CBU moment. “I will never forget that moment, standing on the podium and representing CBU,” he says. He knew his older sister would be watching and supporting him from afar, something Balwinder says is incredibly important to him. 

After putting CBU track and field on the AUS map, Balwinder is eager to assist in attracting more track athletes to the program with hopes of advocating for more financial aid for student-athletes, continuing to upgrade facilities and bringing in experts to provide nutritional advice to training athletes. 

Balwinder says he’s proud to be a Caper and looks forward to what the future holds for him at CBU.