Odisha and India woman sprint star, Dutee Chand registered her season-best time of 7.35 seconds in the 60 metre event of 7.35 the 18th World Athletics Indoor Championships at Stark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia today. She registered the timing in the sixth and last heat.

But the timing was good enough to enable Dutee qualify for the semifinals and she bowed out of the championship, finishing sixth her heat. Overall she finished 30th among a total of 48 competitors.

The top three finishers in each of the six heats and the next six fastest completed the semifinal round of 24 sprinters. Mikiah Brisco of USA was the fastest among the semifinalists, clocking a Personal Best of 7.03 seconds in Heat-3. Brian Williams (Jamaica) emerged second fastest with a Personal-Best time of 7.06 seconds.

The the time of 7.35 seconds was the third fastest personal best for Dutee in 60 metre event. She entered the ongoing World Indoor Championships with a Personal Best of 7.28 seconds and a World Rank of 66.

This was the second appearance in the World Indoor Championships for Dutee, who earlier featured in the 2016 edition in Portland, USA. On her debut in the World Indoors, Dutee finished eighth in the semifinals with a time of 7.62 on 19 March 2016. Earlier in her heat, Dutee had finished fifth, clocking 7.30.
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PHOTO: Dutee Chand at the 18th World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.