Dutee Chand confirms berth at the 2019 Athletics World Championship

After much speculations, Indian sprinter Dutee Chand has been confirmed to participate in the upcoming World Athletics Championships, happening in Doha later this month. On September 9, the Athletics Federation of India had named a 25-member team for the World Championships (September 27-October 6) while also approving Dutee’s name, pending an invite from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF.) 

The World University Games 100m champion who did not meet the qualification mark of 11.24 seconds, earlier today was approved by the IAAF on fulfilling the criteria of the required number of competitors for the event.

“The IAAF sent an invite, saying Dutee can compete in the World Championships and the AFI has accepted it. So, her participation is confirmed,” an AFI official revealed according to reports. 

Earlier in August, the 23-year-old clinched the gold medal at the 100m event of the 5th Indian Grand Prix. India’s fastest woman is currently training on the ultra-modern track with the help of modern infrastructure at Bhubaneswar for last six months.

The selection committee of the AFI had also approved the names of Archana Suseentran (200m women) and high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, subject to an invitation from the IAAF. Tejaswin pulled out, informing the AFI that he was not in a “jumping shape” while Archana did not get an invite yet from the IAAF.

Women’s 400m runner Anjali Devi is the only athlete left in contention for a berth. She has been asked by the selection committee to appear in a confirmatory trial on September 21 at the NIS Patiala.

Leading the Indian contingent from the front will be 1500m runner Jinson Johnson, who recently set a new national record, the second time in recent months en route to qualifying for the Worlds, and 19-year long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who was the first to qualify for the big event in September last year.