New Delhi: Dutee Chand is not one to dwell on missed opportunities, which is why she insists her twin silver show at the Asian Games is worth more than gold.
The sprinter claimed second spot in 100m and 200m at Jakarta, becoming the second women athlete after P.T. Usha to claim two medals in an edition of the continental event.
“I had to work very hard for this result. It is huge that I won two medals,” Dutee said on Friday.
Dutee’s rise is particularly impressive after falling foul to International Association of Athletics Federations’ hyperandrogenism policy, thereby getting dropped from India’s 2014 Commonwealth Games contingent.
An abnormal hormonal level count threatened to jeopardise her career, but it’s her grit and determination that has fashioned her return to the track, winning a legal case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the ban in 2015, capping her excruciating journey with two silvers at Jakarta.
“I value my 100m medal more as my focus was more in that event. I have no regrets though I missed gold by a small margin,” said Dutee.
Dutee (11.32 seconds) was just a shade behind gold medal winner, Bahrain’s Odiong Edidiong.
The athlete said she needs to improve her finish to convert silver into gold.
The days of depression and agony may now be behind her, but Dutee believes that has toughened her up for the rigours of track and field life, and is grateful to national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand and Odisha C.M. Naveen Patnaik.
