Patiala: Star Indian sprinter Dutee Chand stated her target at the Tokyo Olympics is to reach the 100m final with improved timing. Dutee is yet to overcome the qualification timing of 11.15s but is expected to make the Tokyo Olympics cut based on her world ranking. The qualification deadline is June 29 and the final list of entries will be published on July 1.
According to ‘Road to Tokyo’ list, 33 athletes who will touch the Tokyo Olympics qualification timings will make the cut while 23 will be picked on the basis of their rankings. Dutee Chand is currently at 42nd position in the World Athletics’ ‘Road to Tokyo’ list that also includes athletes who have breached the qualification mark.
“I will try my best to touch the 11.15s standard during the Indian Grand Prix IV on June 21 and the National Inter-State Championships (June 25-29). If not, I am expecting qualification on the basis of rankings. “My aim in Tokyo is to run below 11.10 seconds and qualify for the final round,” Dutee Chand said in a virtual press conference facilitated by jewellery brand Senco Gold & Diamonds.
The athletes have suffered a lot due to the COVID-19 situation in the country with foreign nations putting travel restrictions on Indians. The Indian relay teams missed out on the World Relays Championships in Poland last month at the last moment. The Indians also missed another two events in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan this month due to travel restrictions.
“There have been a lot of changes in training competition schedule (due to pandemic). I am disappointed to have missed the international events but we can’t do anything. Our (4x100m) relay team could have already qualified for the Olympics had we taken part in the World Relays in Poland. All four of us can run below 11.60 and could have run below 43.05,” said Dutee Chand, who holds the national record of 11.22s.
At the Tokyo Olympics, 16 teams will make the cut in the women’s 4x100m relay. India are currently sitting at the 22nd spot in the world rankings and Dutee Chand said the next one month will be crucial.
“Training-wise as well as diet, it is going on perfectly at the NIS. It is a minimum of six hours of training every day, besides other workouts at the gym, swimming and lifting of weights. I train between 6am and 10am, rest in the afternoon and then training again from 6pm to 8pm in the evening,” she said.
“I started speed training from February, running 60m, 80m and then 100m. Even a 100m run during training is repeated six times. My coach told me my stamina has improved, so I can improve my timing,” said Dutee Chand who won a silver each in the 100m and 200m events in the 2018 Asian Games.
