Sharing podium with Hima would have been nice: Dutee Chand

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: She made a splendid performance in the recently concluded Asian Games, but she, Dutee Chand, the winner of two silver medals in the Jakarta Asian Games, felt that it would have been more memorable one for her had she shared the podium with Hima Das in the 200-metre medal ceremony.

Talking to the media on the sideline of the closing function of SJFI’s convention in Bengaluru last night, Dutee said, “Both of us planned to collect a medal each in the women’s 200 metre in the Jakarta Asian Games. I would have been really very happy had it happened. However, an unfortunate incident had denied Hima making it to the final.”

It may be mentioned here that Hima, the new sensation of Indian sports, was disqualified in the women’s 200 metre following a false start.

Meanwhile, talking to her individual performances Dutee, who won silver in women’s 100 metre and 200 metre in the Asain Games recently, said, “I had practiced very hard for the last couple of years and even trained for six hours in a session. It is nice to see that I got results in my first appearance in the Asian Games.”

Reacting to the presence of Africa-born sprinters in the Asian Games she said, “I really did not think of the African athletes in the fray. I just focussed on my races and wanted to win medals. I just have to run, against whoever it is.”

Sharing about her future plan, the athlete from Odisha said, “My next target is obviously to win a medal for the country in 2020 Tokyo Olympics’.