Dutee, the cynosure despite poor outing

On the starting blocks of the 100M first round at the vast Olympic Stadium, Dutee Chand looked like a dwarf caught in a world of giants.

In lane four, she was the smallest in the field in heat 5. Flanked by Nigina Sharipova of Uzbekistan and Kelly Ann-Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago, the 20-year-old Indian didn’t look in the same league.

Seconds later the scoreboard would bear out the fact. In the race won by Tianna Bartoletta of the United States, Dutee was beaten to seventh place, unable to come anywhere close to her best.

She had timed a national record of 11.24 seconds to meet the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games but the 11.69 on Friday night wasn’t what she expected.

“I was totally nervous and scared out there,” Dutee said later. “The event was starting so late in the night, so many people around, the Olympics has turned out to be way beyond my imagination,” added the Odisha girl, who as expected, exited in the first round.

But Dutee’s impact is felt far beyond the confines of the 100M. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that came as a major victory for her has made her the cynosure of the world media. Curious reporters milled around her, eager to know about the little girl and her thoughts.

“She is the one who will win the 800M gold for South Africa,” quipped a Swedish journalist, referring to Caster Semenya, the South African who is believed to be benefitting from the CAS ruling.

Ruling on a case filed by Dutee, the CAS had suspended the International Association of Athletics Federation’s policy on hyperandrogenism that reined in women with excessive male hormones from competing.

Dutee, who was barred because of her hyperandrogenism, won the right to compete from CAS, after refusing to undergo treatment or surgical intervention last year.

Semenya, the 2009 world champion whose form had dipped after a row erupted over her gender, has returned in great style after the CAS ruling and is the favourite to win the 800M gold here.

“I think the fight was worth it, because of it, I could run in the Olympic Games. Yes, I could not do well here – I am totally unhappy with my time – but I am sure I will come back in the future. I am only 20,” said Dutee.