Running legend Hari Chand passes away at 69

CHANDIGARH: One of the unsung heroes of Indian athletes, 1978 Bangkok Asian Games double gold medallist Hari Chand breathed his last in Jalandhar late on Sunday night. He was 69.
Considered one of India's greatest long-distance runners, Chand, in his only Asian Games appearance, had returned with gold medal in 5,000 and 10,000-metre events. He also took part in the 1976 Montreal and 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.
Born on April 1, 1953 at Ghorewah village in Hoshiarpur district, Chand's first major inter- national success came at the 1975 Asian Championships in Seoul, where he won the gold medal in the 10,000m and a bronze in the 5,000m, defeating his contemporary and compatriot Shivnath Singh, one of his fiercest rivals in the Indian and Asian circles.
His success at the continental meet got him the prestigious Arjuna Award. The CRPF athlete is, however, best remembered for his feat at the Montreal Games, where he created a longstanding national record by clocking 28.48.72 to finish 8th in the 10,000m heats, despite running barefoot with tape around his feet. Chand's national record was eventually broken by Surendra Singh after more than three decades.