Dhanalakshmi Sekar
{{Short description|Indian athlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| name = Dhanalakshmi Sekar
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| nationality = Indian
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|6|5|df=yes}}{{cite web| url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1406759-sekar-dhanalakshmi.htm| title=Dhanalakshmi Sekhar| publisher=Olympics| accessdate=26 July 2021| archive-date=26 July 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726102914/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1406759-sekar-dhanalakshmi.htm| url-status=dead}}
| birth_place = Gundur, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu
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|sport= Athletics
| event = 100m, 200m
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| coach = Manikandan Arunmugam
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| olympics = 2020 Summer Olympics
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Dhanalakshmi Sekar (born 5 June 1998) is an Indian athlete from Tamil Nadu. She rose to limelight after beating veteran Indian sprinters Dutee Chand and Hima Das in the 200m event at the 2021 Federation Cup.{{cite news | url=https://www.espn.in/athletics/story/_/id/31075570/0-100-11-38-meet-dhana-lakshmi-sekar-india-latest-sprint-sensation | title=0-100 in 11.38: Meet Dhana Lakshmi Sekar, India's latest sprint sensation | publisher=ESPN | location=India | date=16 March 2021 | accessdate=4 October 2022 | first=Jonathan | last=Selvaraj}} She made her debut appearance at the Olympics representing India at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She was banned for a period of 3 years for failing a doping test in May 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-03 |title=AIU bans sprinter Dhanalakshmi for three years |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/aiu-bans-sprinter-dhanalakshmi-for-three-years-101659466247016.html |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}
Biography
Danalakshmi was born as the younger child in her family. Her father died at her young age and her mother began working as a domestic labourer to run the family. She has two elder sisters and one of them died in 2021 due to health issues.{{Cite web|date=8 August 2021|title=2 Olympic sprinters get rousing reception at Trichy airport|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/2-olympic-sprinters-get-rousing-reception-at-trichy-airport/articleshow/85139191.cms|access-date=2021-08-08|website=The Times of India|language=en}}
Career
She initially wanted to find a decent job for her living and her family. In 2017, she was persuaded and convinced to take up the sport of athletics by former Tamil Nadu sprinter Manikandan Arunmugam.{{cite web | url=https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/dhanalakshmi-sekar-indian-sprinter-women-athletics-career | title=WHO IS DHANALAKSHMI SEKAR | publisher=Olympics | date=19 March 2021 | accessdate=14 July 2021 | author=Utathya Nag}}
She competed at the 2018 Tamil Nadu State Championships and claimed third place in both women's 100m and 200m events. She claimed a bronze medal in the women's 200m event at the 2019 Federation Cup. She also clinched a bronze medal in the women's 200m event during the 2019 Inter-State Athletics Championships which was held in Lucknow. During the 2019 Inter-State Championships, she won the gold medal with the Tamil Nadu state team in the women's {{nowrap|4 × 100 m}} relay event.
She made her debut appearance at the Summer Universiade representing India at the 2019 Summer Universiade and competed in women's 100m, women's 200m women's 4 × 100 metres relay events.
She claimed gold medals in the 100m and 200m events at the 2021 Tamil Nadu State meet which was held in Sivakasi. In March 2021, she broke the women's 200m Federation Cup meet record which was held by legendary sprinter PT Usha for about 23 years.{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/dhanalakshmi-eclipses-pt-ushas-23-year-old-meet-record/articleshow/81582974.cms | title=Dhanalakshmi eclipses PT Usha's 23-year-old meet record | work=The Times of India | date=19 March 2021 | accessdate=14 July 2021 | author=Hindol Basu}} She achieved it after winning the 100m event at the 24th Federation Cup.
She qualified to compete in the Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics but she didn't find a place in the {{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} mixed relay event.{{cite web | url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/Sports/2021/07/07075641/1305305/TN-trio-set-to-create-history.vpf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707035316/https://www.dtnext.in/News/Sports/2021/07/07075641/1305305/TN-trio-set-to-create-history.vpf | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 July 2021 | title=TN trio set to create history | publisher=Daily Thanthi | date=7 July 2021 | accessdate=14 July 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/tokyo-olympics/story/tokyo-olympics-3-tn-athletes-revathi-subha-dhanalakshmi-stories-struggle-4x400m-mixed-relay-1826094-2021-07-09 | title=From overcoming poverty to booking Tokyo Olympics berth - The story of Games-bound Tamil Nadu athletes | publisher=India Today | date=9 July 2021 | accessdate=14 July 2021 | author=Akshaya Nath}}{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tokyo-olympics/indiatokyo/olympic-countdown-five-member-athlete-army-from-tamil-nadu-to-tokyo/articleshow/84174602.cms | title=Olympic Countdown: Five-member athlete army from Tamil Nadu to Tokyo | work=The Times of India | date=6 July 2021 | accessdate=14 July 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/three-tn-women-athletes-who-beat-all-odds-will-represent-india-olympics-151871 | title=Three TN women athletes who beat all odds will represent India at the Olympics | publisher=The NewsMinute | date=6 July 2021 | accessdate=14 July 2021 | author=Bharathi SP}}
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sekar, Dhanalakshmi}}
Category:Indian female sprinters
Category:Athletes from Tamil Nadu
Category:Sportswomen from Tamil Nadu
Category:People from Tiruchirappalli district
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic athletes for India
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