Dutee Chand wins Triple Gold at National Open Athletics Championship

Kolkata, Sep 19: Sprinter from Odisha, Dutee Chand won three gold medals in 55th National Open Athletic Championship at SAI Complex here. She won Gold medals in 200 metre race and 4×100 metre relay race. Dutee earlier bagged gold in 100 metre race. 19-year-old Dutee hails from Chaka Gopalpur village in Odisha.

Another Odia sprinter Srabani Nanda wins silver medal in 100 metre race, 200 metre and Gold in 4×100 metre relay race. Odia Girls Dutee and Srabani represented Railways.

In the women’s 200m, Dutee was by far the best, as she brushed aside her opponents to complete the race in 23.69. Her teammate Srabani Nanda finished second with a time of 23.75. Asha Roy clinched the third position with 24.71.

Dutee was banned last year by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) as her body produced testosterone at levels which were deemed higher than the limit for women sportspersons.

But the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July cleared the sprinter by suspending the ‘hyperandrogenism’ rules, which may also be scrapped if the IAAF fails to provide evidence.

Dutee also claimed the glittering yellow medal in the Womens 4×100 metre relay with teammates Himashree Roy, Srabani Nanda and Merlin K Joseph representing the railways.

“I feel really relieved. I have been training really hard, three times a day,” Dutee said after winning gold in 100 metre race yesterday.

Dutee dedicated her victory to Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who took up her cause and ensured that she was back on the track. Dutee also thanked KIIT University and Odisha Olympic Association.

Dutee is coached by Nagpuri Ramesh and is at present undergoing training at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad.