New Delhi: Odisha and India sprinter Dutee Chand has been named in the ‘TIME 100 Next’, an expansion of the ‘TIME 100’ list of the most influential persons in the world.
The list, an initiative of ‘TIME’ magazine, highlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, health, science and activism.
“I am delighted to receive this recognition from the ‘TIME’ magazine. I believe in gender equality. I will continue to fight for the rights of young girls and women in sports as well as in the larger society,” Dutee Chand said in a statement.
Dutee had won two silver medals – 100m, 200m – at the Jakarta Asian Games and had become the first Indian woman sprinter to win gold at the Universiade in Napoli, where she competed in 100m,
Dutee Chand was invited by the IAAF to compete at the women’s 100m event at the Doha World Championships in September but could qualify for the semifinals, fading in the heats after clocking 11.48s.
However, immediately after her return from Doha, the Odisha sprinter created a new national record clocking 11.22 seconds in the 100m. In the process she bettered her own record of 11.26 seconds set a couple of years back. Had she clocked the new record-breaking effort, it would have enabled her to qualify for the semifinals at Doha.
Dutee had blamed the heat and humidity in Doha for her failure to do well in Doha. “My body felt stiff and I felt very tired,” Dutee had said on her return from Doha.
However, it will take some doing by Dutee to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics next year. The qualification mark for the event in the 100m is 11.15 seconds. Dutee, however, is hopeful that she will be able to make it to Tokyo.
PNN & Agencies