Comeback sprint queen Dutee Chand reveling in new found freedom

Dutee Chand may have a long road ahead to make the cut to Rio 2016, but she has already won a massive personal battle

Imagine being questioned multiple times about the legitimacy of your gender and then being removed from the national team, because you have high 'testeorone' levels for a woman. That is exactly what Indian sprinter Dutee Chand went through over the past year, before eventually being allowed to participate. However. the 19-year-old has bounced back in style, after winning three gold medals at the recently concluded 55th Senior Open National Championships in Kolkata.

On day one, she won the 100m event, in convincing fashion, clocking a time of 11.68 seconds, which was marginally behind her personal best, 11.62 seconds. Dutee was still far behind the Olympic qualification timing of 11.32 seconds, but her performance was commendable as she had a year long layoff from the sport.

The final day saw her participate in two events, the 200m and the 4x100m relay. A close encounter saw her win the 200m event in a photo finish. She clocked a timing 23.69, which was.09 seconds behind her personal best of 23.60 set at the Junior World Championships in China.

Three gold medals on my comeback is a dream: Dutee Chand

She told Sportskeeda, “I am really happy with my performance here, especially after the long gap away from running. If regular athletes are putting in two sessions a day, I have been putting three sessions as I was not being able to participate for so long. The main aspect I had to work on was my endurance as that has taken a major hit, due to my time out. My major goal is now the Olympics, which less than a year away. Also, now I can write to the Sports Ministry about the Target Olympic Scheme to boost my chances.”

Dutee's Coach N Ramesh seemed positive about her progress so far stating, “We are specifically targeting the 200m event, now that she is just .50 seconds away from achieving the Olympic quota, that is our main goal. One more solid season and she's definitely going to be a part of the Olympics soon. Plus she is only 19, age is on her side. I told her, don't just think about the meet, ever millisecond you gain is a step closer to the Olympics.”

Sports Authority of India (SAI) Coach N Ramesh had first spotted Dutee Chand at a camp in Orissa in 2009. After training with her for a while, he enrolled her for the National training camp in Patiala. He said, “Dutee was doing really well, if there was no ban in between, she was supposed to go to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, where she would have surely medalled. You can say it's from Glasgow to Orissa for her. But, we kept working hard and that's what matter. All she knows is how to run and all I know is how to coach.”

In 2014, Dutee Chand was told by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), that due to her high level of testosterone, she had an unfair advantage. After her removal from the National team list, Dutee took both the AFI and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to the Court of arbitration for Sport (CAS).

However, the Orissa-born sprinter had the support of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), who had originally conducted the gender determination tests. CAS stated that there was no doubt that, Dutee was a female, but what they were looking into was whether her condition Hyperandrogenism was used in a discriminatory manner or not.

Both parties presented arguments backed by scientific evidence, but CAS finally decided that even if a female has a high testosterone level, it can in no way be compared to a male. Since the hearing, Dutee has been cleared for racing and asked IAAF to modify their regulations. They have also asked them, to prove how it helps athletes such as Dutee.

Born to a marginal weaver in Orissa, Dutee shook the very foundation of International sport with this landmark case. Her fight opened doors to several other athletes from different sports, whose gender had often been questioned. However, in terms of her career, it was a massive hit. A year long lay off from racing meant her Commonwealth, Asian and Olympic dreams were thrashed for four years.

Back to the track

Dutee said, “I cannot fathom that my own federation has treated me this way. Ever since 2013, I have been consistently medalling for India at the continental and world stage. There was no uproar then, why did the AFI bring this up? They completely removed me from their radar, like I never existed. I thank Mr Sarabananda Sonowal for supporting me through this as I was always right. Even now I'm not being supported financially. The only ones who are supporting me are SAI and Anglian medal hunt. It's because of them that I can even think buying spikes to train, which I couldn't before.”

The entire Athletics fraternity almost disowned her: Dutee Chand’s Coach N Ramesh

The victory earned Dutee worldwide recognition, with international media coming out in her support. But, the question loomed large, would she be able to deliver the goods, when it mattered. Based on her performances at her first major event, she is well on her way to proving her doubters wrong.

Ramesh added,”It was a very difficult time for her. She went back to her village in Ganjam and her friends started doubting her. Roommates refused to share their rooms with her. To add to that her economic condition was really poor, so she was really confused and distraught. But, she made the right move and kept training. Had faith that she would be allowed to race and now she's back. I have no doubt in my mind that she will make the Olympics very soon.”

To better her performances, Dutee is currently contemplating on moving to the USA. She said, “If I have the correct amount of funds and backing, I will be moving to the IAAF Academy in Chula Vista. I have spoken to the Coach Mr Joe Vigil, who is a world renowned Athletics personality and we will be working together to increase my stamina and endurance. The gap has affected my stamina because I have not been competing at the highest level anymore.”

With the 2016 Rio Olympics just 11 months away, the event could be a distant dream for Dutee. However, she is targetting the 2016 National Games in Goa as her final attempt to enter the sporting extravaganza.

She said, “But what I'm most happy about is being able to run and compete again, nothing can change that.”

Dutee's stand against the World governing body has proved, that she has the determination and will-power to succeed in any given situation. It's only a matter of time before we see her donning India colours at the Olympics.