Dhanalakshmi Sekar is an Indian athlete who competes in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4 X 100 meter relay events. He has won several medals in various national and international competitions. In 2022, he failed a drug test and was banned for 3 years.
Wiki/Biography
Dhanalakshmi Sekar was born on Friday, 5 June 1998 (age 24 years; in 2022) in Gundur, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. His zodiac sign is Gemini. He studied at Abbot Marcel RC Higher Secondary School, Sembattu, Tiruchirapalli. Later, he attended Alva college in Moodbidri, Karnataka and pursued a diploma in Arts. After completing his diploma, he attended Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu for further studies. During his college, he participated in sports to get a government job under the sports quota and relieve his family from poverty.
Dhanalakshmi Sekar’s childhood photos
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 2″
Weight (approx): 50 kg
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Family
He comes from a Tamil family.
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Sekar, and his mother’s name is Usha. His father died when he was young, and his mother farmed and worked as a domestic laborer to support the family. He has 2 younger sisters; however, one of his sisters died in 2021 due to health issues.
Dhanalakshmi Sekar’s mother, Usha
Husband & Son
He is not married.
Relationships/Affairs
He is single.
Career
He started training in Athletics during his college days after Tamil Nadu sprinter Manikandan Arunmugam, who was impressed by his natural speed, convinced him that he could get a government job after winning a medal in the sport. He competed in the 100 meter, 200 meter and relay events. He started participating in athletics championships in 2017, and in 2018, he won third place in 100 meters and 200 meters in the Tamil Nadu State Championships 2018. In 2019, he represented India at the 2019 Summer Universiade held in Naples, Italy. He won several medals in athletics championships and qualified for the 4 X 400 meter medley relay event of the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo, Japan; however, he was not selected for the team. He participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a reserve player. He made a name for himself by beating India’s top-ranked athletes Hima Das and Dutee Chand in the 2021 Federation Cup held in Patiala. In June 2022, he won gold in the 200 meters with a personal best time of 22.89 seconds in the Qosanov Memorial Athletics Meet.
Dhanalakshmi Sekar with her coach Manikandan Arunmugam (right)
medal
gold
- 2018: Moodbidri Inter University Championships, Moodbidri in 200 metres
- 2019: Regional Championships, Tiruchirapalli in 100 metres
- 2019: Meeting d’Athlétisme de Pézenas, Pezenas, France in the 200 meters
- 2019: Regional Championships, Tiruchirapalli in 200 metres
- 2019: Inter-State Championships, Lucknow in 4 X 100 meters relay
- 2021: Tamil Nadu State Meet, Sivakasi in 100 metres
- 2021: Federation Cup, Patiala in 100 metres
- 2021: National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship, Patiala in 100 metres
- 2021: Tamil Nadu State Meet, Sivakasi in 200 metres
- 2021: Indian Grand Prix 4, Patiala in 4 X 100 meter relay
- 2021: National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, Patiala in 4 X 100 meters relay
- 2022: Indian Grand Prix, Thiruvanthapuram in 200 metres
silver
- 2018: Moodbidri Inter University Championships, Moodbidri in 100 metres
- 2019: Indian Grand Prix 1, Patiala in 100 metres
- 2019: Meeting d’Athlétisme de Pézenas, Pezenas, France in the 100 meters
- 2020: Indian University Championships, Moodbidri in 100 metres
- 2021: Federation Cup, Patiala in 200 metres
- 2021: Indian Grand Prix 4, Patiala in 200 metres
Bronze
- 2018: Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu State Championship, Tirunelveli in 100 metres
- 2018: Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu State Championship, Tirunelveli in 200 metres
- 2019: Federation Cup, Patiala in 200 metres
Dhanalakshmi Sekar after winning bronze in Federation Cup 2019, Patiala in 200 meters
- 2019: Inter-State Championships, Lucknow in 200 metres
Controversy
Banned for three years after testing positive for steroids
On 11 July 2022, he was banned from any tournament for three years by the Sports Integrity Unit (AIU) for failing an out-of-competition drug test. The sample was taken on May 1, 2022 in Antalya, Turkey where he was training. He tested positive for Metandienone, a banned substance under the category of ‘Anabolic Androgenic Steroids.’ At first, he was banned for four years; however, he admitted to doping after the ban was reduced for a year. Subsequently, he was ruled out of selection for the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham. As a result of this ban, his wins, medals, awards and cash prizes on and from May 1, 2022 are also cancelled.
Facts/Trivia
- During his early college days, he played the character of Kho Kho; however, when he did not see any great opportunities in the sport, he left it and took part in athletics.
- His best time in 100 meters is 11.38 seconds and in 200 meters is 23.14 seconds.
- During the 200 meters race in the heat of the 24th Federation Cup held in 2021 in Patiala, she broke the record of 23-year-old Indian athlete PT Usha by running 200 meters in 23.26 seconds.
- He is also known as Gundur Express.
- When he went to represent India in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, his sister died of illness; however, his family kept this news from him so that his performance would not be affected. He only found out about this when he got home.
- He is supported by the JSW Sports organization and has trained at the Inspire Institute of Sport to train under French Coach Antony Yaich.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
