Bhubaneswar: As the people of Odisha wait with bated breath to watch their star sprinter Srabani Nanda to perform in the 200-meters event in the evening today, she has sought the blessing of people of Odisha for her success.
"The people of Odisha are like God for me. I can get success with their blessing. I request them to pray for me as I am going to the track at 6pm," Nanda told OTV.
She also greeted the people on the 70th Independence Day.
Her family members in Phulbani town in Kandhamal district have prayed to the God seeking His blessings for her success.
Optimistic about her success in the event, Srabani’s grandfather said, “I bless her to win a gold medal in her event and be a world champion”.
The entire nation is now pinning hopes on the 24-year-old athlete from Phulbani in Kandhamal district of Odisha. Every fellow country man expects that the ace sprinter brings some cheer for the country at a time when many heavyweights failed to make a mark at the greatest sporting extravaganza.
Srabani had qualified for the Rio Olympics clocking 23.07 seconds in the 200-metre run in the XXVI International Meeting G. Kosanov Memorial at Almaty in Kazakhstan on June 26. The Olympic qualifying timing for the 200 metre run was 23.20 seconds.
Srabani became the fourth woman athlete from Odisha after Rachita Panda-Mistry, Anuradha Biswal and Dutee Chand and the 100th Indian to achieve the historic feat.