Athletics
Khelo India University Games: Dutee Chand sets new national university record
Her time was faster than the 11.56 clocked set by N Simi of Mangalore University in 2018, but Dutee owns the Indian university all-time record with a time of 11.32 seconds in winning the World University Games gold last year.
Ace Indian sprinter Dutee Chand stole the limelight on her first day of competition at the Khelo India University Games, winning the women’s 100m in which she set new Indian Universities meet record time by clocking 11.49 seconds on the penultimate day of the Games at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on 29 February.
Her time was faster than the 11.56 clocked set by N Simi of Mangalore University in 2018, but Dutee owns the Indian university all-time record with a time of 11.32 seconds in winning the World University Games gold last year.
India's fastest woman ?♀️ @DuteeChand, expresses how happy ? she was to participate in the Khelo India University Games 2020, Odisha and win a ? for @KIITUniversity along with breaking the AIU record.#KheloIndia #KIUG2020 #KIUGOdisha2020 #KheloIndia @KirenRijiju @RijijuOffice pic.twitter.com/INcRr9kMUy
— Khelo India (@kheloindia) February 29, 2020
“I was not expecting to go much faster in my first competition after the off-season. I am happy with the 11.49, though I would have liked to a sub 11.40 to begin with,” she said, having clocked 11.61 in the heats in the morning. She is chasing the Olympic qualifying standard of 11.20 seconds to secure a ticket to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
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“The Corona virus and the resulting travel regulations make me unsure if I will get to compete in Europe. I guess I will have to seek the Olympic qualifying time in an Indian competition this season,” Dutee Chand said, sporting a wide grin as she walked to the warm-up track for a recovery session in preparation of the 200m sprint on 1 March.
