Chand has made a vicious start, said the commentator, three seconds into the women's 100m final at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Italy. Just over eight seconds later, Dutee Chand had won gold at the world university games. It was her first big step in the bid to qualify for Tokyo 2020. Chand, who ran 11.32 seconds that day, edged out Switzerland's Ajla Del Ponte by 0.01 second. Del Ponte was the favourite going into the final and has since qualified for Tokyo 2020 with a time of 11.07, making her joint 19th in the list of qualified sprinters.
Chand's “vicious start” in Italy evidently caught Del Ponte and the other six finalists—four of whom have qualified for Tokyo—off guard. “Dutee's start is [among] the world's best,” her coach Nagapuri Ramesh told THE WEEK. “So, we try to take advantage of that.” Ramesh confirmed that though Chand has also qualified for 200m, the focus will be on 100m. In 2019, around three months after the Universiade, Chand won the 100m gold at the 2019 India Open in Ranchi, setting a national record of 11.22 along the way.
In June, she ran 11.17, but missed out on the Olympic entry standard of 11.15. But, her average performance score of 1,219 made her 41st in the 56 qualifying places. It was bolstered by 1,231 in Italy and 1,246 in Ranchi; her 11.17 sprint only got her 1,188 because of easier competition. Notably, Chand has only averaged close to 11.50 in 2021. Did the pandemic-induced break in competition have an impact on her preparation? Ramesh said it did not. “We did extensive indoor training to maintain fitness,” he said, and added that restrictions also allowed for more rest.
Chand herself has stayed positive. “Earlier, I used to run 100m in 12.5 seconds,” she said. “Now, almost 10 years later, I ran 11.17.” At the Olympics, everyone will say win a medal, she said. “But I cannot confidently say that I will return with an Olympic medal,” said the 25-year-old. “The training when you are a medal hopeful is different from the training when you are trying to improve your timing.” She added that in races where there is hope of a medal, it is about running systematically, deciding how much energy to use at each stage.
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“I am focused on my timing,” she said. “My coach says that I can easily run 11.10. If I am able to run that speed, I should be able to reach the semi-final [at Tokyo 2020]. So, that speed is the target I have kept for myself. That is how I am training.” Fickle sports fans may not take too kindly to her realistic approach. But India's fastest woman said it is natural for the public to celebrate only medallists. Chand has seen too much in life and worked too hard to get where she is now. As a result, she is not unnerved easily.
Ramesh calls her fearless. This has been proven many times over, including in her fight to overturn a hyperandrogenism ban, and when, in 2019, she came out as India's first openly homosexual athlete. Chand said that contrary to reports, she did not face “severe backlash” over her sexual orientation. She said her villagers never bothered her and that her neighbours, family and the Athletics Federation of India were all supportive. “They all said that it was my life and my choice,” said Chand. Now, it is up to all of India to show similar support ahead of the 100m on July 30 and July 31.