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Bhubaneswar, Dec 23: Sprinter Dutee Chand was handed over the Ekalavya award during a function here Wednesday. She was also presented with a citation and a cash award of `5,00,000.
Dutee after winning her battle in the ‘hyperandrogenism’ case has turned into an inspirational figure for many athletes. In spite of being out of competitive sprinting for long, the Orissa lass emerged the fastest woman of the country by winning the 100 metres in this season’s Inter-State National Athletics Championships in July with a timing of 10.12 seconds.
Other than Dutee, two other sportspersons of the state, Pramila Kirsani and Saina Salonika were also honoured. Both were given a citation and `50,000 each.
Three selected
Three kho kho players from the state, two girls and a boy have been selected to the Indian teams for the South Asian Games at Guwahati, February 6 to 16, next year.
Mandakini Majhi and Madhusmita Ojha will be representing the Indian women’s team while Ganesh Nath has found a place in the men’s squad. Mandakini and Madhusmita created a history of sorts by becoming the first women players from the state to find a place in the national squad.
The training sessions for the two teams will be conducted at different venues though. The eves’ side will attend a camp at the venue of the Games December 28 to January 18 while the men’s team will practice at Bhopal during the same period.
Squads announced
Orissa Martial Arts Association announced Wednesday the men’s and women’s teams that will participate in the 24th National Senior Martial Arts Championships at Chandigarh, December 25 to 30. Four judges from the state have also been selected to officiate in the meet. They are Pradyumna Behera, Pankaj Mohanty, Suvendu Samantray and Sarat Dash.
Squads: (Boys): Sonu Prasad Sona, Ajay Mohanty, Lakshman Muthai, Sunil Swain, Binay Kumar, Bala Reddy, Jitendra Kumar, Dulemu Khandelkar, Prasad Kumar Nayak, Sontosh Pradhan, Sachin Mohanty, Kisan Gurung, Kapil Karmakar and Arun Kumar. (Girls): Sushma Ekka, Madhumita Sahu, Sukanti Munda, Priyadarshani Sahu, Yashoda Reddy, Bijayee Guru, Mili Kosua and Barsha Nath.
