National record holder Dutee Chand became the first Indian woman track and field athlete to clinch a gold medal in the World Universiade after she won the 100m dash event in Napoli. The 23-year-old Dutee clocked 11.32 seconds to win the gold as she led the race from start to finish.
India’s Dutee Chand celebrates after her second place finish in the women’s 100m final during the athletics competition at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
The Odisha runner, whose national record stands at 11.24 seconds, thus became the first Indian to win a 100m gold in a global event. She has now become only the second Indian sprinter to win a gold in a global event after Hima Das, who clinched the top spot in 400m in the World Junior Athletics Championships last year.
Born in Chaka Gopalpur in Odisha to cotton weavers, Chand has been championing the cause of eligibility of female athletes in track and field events. Dutee is a student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, a deemed university in Bhubaneswar. She is yet to qualify for the World Championships to be held in Doha in September-October.
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind congratulated the Indian sprinter, saying: “Congratulations @DuteeChand for winning the 100m sprint at the Universiade, the World University Games, in Naples. This is India’s first such gold and a moment of immense pride for our country. Please keep up the effort, and look to greater glory at the Olympics.”
“With years of hard work and your blessings, I have yet again broken the record by winning the Gold in the 100m dash in 11.32 seconds at The World University Games, Napoli. In the pictures, are the winners too, with a heart of Gold from Germany and Sweden. @Napoli2019_ita,” Chand tweeted. She posted a picture of her with the gold medal and captioned it “Picked it up”.
Chand, a 100m record holder and winner of two Asian Games silver medals, recently made up the headlines after she opened up about her homosexuality back in May 2019.
“This is my personal matter. I am sure everything will be fine in a month or two. On the international level, there are several athletes (who are in a same-sex relationship). To live, everybody needs a partner who understands your heart. We like each other so we decided to live together. She gives me motivation for my sport. My focus on sports will be intact,” she had said.
