Will go abroad if required: Dutee Chand on Olympic preparation

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand on Tuesday said that she would travel abroad if required, for Tokyo 2020 Olympics preparation.

New Delhi [India], Oct 15 : Indian sprinter Dutee Chand on Tuesday said that she would travel abroad if required, for Tokyo 2020 Olympics preparation.

"I have been doing special training for a long time in Bhubaneswar. The state has been providing support for my training financially and the coach makes my schedule accordingly. If required then I might go abroad for training," Chand told here.

Chand pledged to touch the Olympic mark of 11.15 seconds and make her country proud.

Talking about her recent achievement, she said, "I have broken my own record 5 times. I made the first national record in 2016 and in 2019 I reached 11.26 seconds, which was my previous national record. Then I did 11.22 seconds and I am happy that I have broken a national record of 17 years which was 11.43 seconds. I want to cover the Olympic marking of 11.15 seconds."

Talking about her training Chand said, "Lots of hard work is there in the training which includes 6-7 hours of regular workout. Gymming, Yoga and other activities are part of the training. Sometimes recovery is also very important which is also a part of the training."

Dutee Chand broke her own national record as she clocked a timing of 11.22 seconds in the women's 100m semifinals on her way to a gold medal at the 59th National Open Athletics Championships in Rachi on October 11.

A fortnight after failing to reach 100m semis at the World Championships in Doha, the 23-year-old surpassed her previous timing of 11.26 seconds which she had set at the Asian Championships in April this year. Chand later clocked 11.25 seconds in the final to claim the gold.

Chand would have liked to come up with this performance in the World Athletics Championships last month. She was looking for a better time in Doha but managed 11.48 to place a disappointing seventh in her heats. A time of 11.22 seconds - or even 11.25 seconds in the heats - would have seen her secure a semifinal berth in Doha.

( With inputs from ANI )