It's gold for sprinter Dutee Chand at the Indian Grand Prix

Close on the heels of setting a national record at the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships last month, sprinter Dutee Chand has added another feather in her cap.  The sprinting sensation coming from humble origins in Orissa clinched the gold in Women’s 100m dash, clocking a fast time of 11.37 seconds at the Indian Grand Prix athletics series in Patiala on Friday. Chand comfortably beat H M Jyothi, who clocked a time of 11.57 seconds, and Srabani Nanda, who made it to the finish line in 11.60 seconds, to achieve this feat. Dutee's national record earlier at the Federation Cup in New Delhi was also a triumphant moment, but she missed the Rio Olympics Qualification mark by a whisker, finishing at 11.33 seconds where the cut off was 11.32 seconds.

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Apart from Chand's record, other aces like ONGC runner M R Poovamma also defeated her competitor, Kerala's Anilda Thomas, clocking 52.67 secs in the 400 metres, while in  javelin throw, Annu Rani (56.77m) once again defeated her Uttar Pradesh teammate Suman Devi (56.61m).
Discuss thrower Krishna Poonia, who won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, managed 56.02m to win the gold. Poonia is looking to qualify for Rio Olympics.

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For those who might recall, Dutee Chand had been banned for a considerable amount of time from competing in events, after a controversial hormone test which revealed excessive amounts of androgens( a condition known as hyperandrogenism), over the permissible levels authorised. The ruling has been overturned since, and Chand has gone from strength to strength, not only competing, but winning many events.

Feature Image Courtesy: ndtv.com