Dutee Chand joins relay team

BHUBANESWAR: India ace sprinter Dutee Chand is relishing the prospect of returning to international competition for the first time since coronavirus-enforced break last year. In order to prepare for the 2021 IAAF World Relays in Chorzow (Poland), Dutee reached Patiala on Sunday to join the 4x100 women’s relay team. The world event will be held early next month (May 1-2).

Dutee was named alongside S Dhanalakshmi, Hima Das, Archana Suseendran, Himashree Roy and AT Daneshwari in the team by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).  But Dutee will have to remain in quarantine for at least seven days, as per protocol. 

“As per the Covid guidelines I am in quarantine now, I will join the team after seven days. This will be a new relay team for me. Some of them (team members) have shown better individual performance but the relay event is more a technical event,” said Dutee.

“The IAAF has introduced new rules for the relay events and we have to follow it strictly. The team has to be more disciplined and technical during the baton exchange. I may run in the last lap. I’m expecting a good performance from the team,” she added.