Bhubaneswar: Till recently Jakarta Asian Games silver medallist Dutee Chand was in two minds over participating in the Ekamra Sports Literary Festival November 2 and 3 in the city or going for her training for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Now, she has chosen to give the fest a miss and focus on training schedule.
“It would have been great for me to attend the Ekamra Sports Literary Festival, but I won’t be able to because of my training at Hyderabad. For me my training comes first, because without that I won’t be able to win medals for my country and if I don’t, no one will remember me,” the Jajpur-born girl told Orissa POST over phone from Hyderabad.
“Organising big tournaments in Odisha will definitely attract youngsters towards sports. But the state government should also scout local talents and shape them so that more and more players represent the state at the national and international level”
Dutee Chand, Jakarta Asian Games silver medallist
When asked whether she will miss sharing the stage with some of greats of world sports, Dutee was quick to respond, “I have met these people before. I met Ben Johnson earlier in Mumbai. We athletes get to meet lots of international athletes during our international tournaments. So am not at all disappointed. But I will certainly miss interacting with my fans in Bhubaneswar.”
While Odisha has hosted quite a few international events for the past one-and-half years – Asian Athletics Championship (2017), Hockey World League Finals (2017), Super Cup football tournament (2018) and the upcoming Hockey World Cup, Dutee yearns for more.
According to the ace sprinter, the state government should stage more national-level events across all genres of sports to unearth new talents who will represent the country in the future.
“It’s definitely a great for the development of sports in Odisha, but the state government should also organise more and more events to unearth local talents and nurture them with proper training,” the 22-year-old sprinter added.
“I would be happier if our state hosts more and more national-level tournaments so that more players from the rural districts of Odisha can take part and showcase their talent.”
Speaking about whether she will be available at the VIP box to cheer the Indian team in the upcoming Hockey World Cup, Dutee said, “I thank our Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for organising the World Cup in Odisha. However, my event is different. I am a track athlete and will focus on my training first. But yes, if there is an India match scheduled for Saturdays or Sundays, I will definitely try to visit the stadium and cheer for the team.”