Dutee Chand granted visa to travel to Europe

08/10/2019

Dutee Chand has been granted a visa to travel to Europe and participate in a couple of races as she aims to qualify for the upcoming World Athletics Championships. The Indian sprinter recorded a personal best and national record timing of 11.26 seconds in the women's 100m category.

Leading Indian sprinter Dutee Chand's participation in the upcoming athletics tournaments in Ireland and Germany was in doubt after she applied extremely late for visas. However, after some help from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Chand has been granted a visa to travel to Europe as she aims to qualify for the upcoming World Athletics Championships.

"Stand as a proud daughter with all who stood by me in the time of need.Big shout out 2 all who made my voice heard.Big thanks to @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @IndiaSports @KirenRijiju for personally looking into my visa issue and clearing it from their side.Thanks @Naveen_Odisha," Chand wrote in a Tweet.

Stand as a proud daughter with all who stood by me in the time of need.Big shout out 2 all who made my voice heard.Big thanks to @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @IndiaSports @KirenRijiju for personally looking into my visa issue and clearing it from their side.Thanks @Naveen_Odisha 🙏
— Dutee Chand (@DuteeChand) August 9, 2019

Dutee, who recently became the first Indian woman track and field athlete to clinch a gold medal in the World University Games, is expected to participate in 100m dash in two IAAF-approved races - the first in Ireland on August 13 and another in Germany on August 19. The World Championships qualifying timing is 11.24 seconds while the 2020 Olympic Games cut-off is 11.15.

Chand recorded a personal best and achieved a national record time of 11.26 seconds in Doha earlier this year during the Asian Championships.