Dutee confident of making Olympic cut

MUMBAI: Dutee Chand, India’s first openly gay sports star, has fought many battles off the track in recent years but for the next 12 months the sprinter is hoping to focus entirely on her running as she builds towards the Tokyo Olympics. From her battle against the IAAF gender testing rules to coming out as a lesbian in what is still a highly conservative country, Chand is used to making headlines but she hopes over the next year they will mainly be about her sporting prowess.

India’s fastest woman, Chand holds the national record for the 100m with a time of 11.24 sec and is a former Asian junior champion as well as Asian Games silver medallist.

The jump from national or continental success to global contender is a big one, however, and her season’s best time of 11.26 ranks her only joint 78th in the world. Still, with a year to go until Tokyo, the 23-year-old from Jaipur is confident she will make the qualifying mark of 11.15.

“I believe that hard work always pays off and I am working diligently to win more laurels for my country in the upcoming competitions,” Chand said. “My training schedule is pretty tough at the moment ... but I have seen that my timing has improved a lot compared to before. I am working really hard and am sure it will pay off. I feel I will qualify for the Olympics this year.”

Chand caused a shockwave when she revealed she was dating a woman from her village in eastern Odisha state. She was praised for her courage but the revelation soured ties with her family.

“I don’t feel there has been any pressure on me since I have discussed my personal life openly,” she added. “In fact, I have received a lot of support and encouragement for speaking up about my choices.”