Asian Games double gold medallist, Olympian long-distance runner Hari Chand passes away at 69

Hoshiyarpur (Punjab): Two-time Asian games gold medallist and former India long-distance runner Hari Chand, passed away here on Monday morning. He was 69.

Born on April 1, 1953, Chand hailed from Ghorewah village in Hoshiarpur.

The two-time Olympian won twin gold at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games in the 5000m and 10000m races.

In the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, he ran barefooted and finished eighth in the 10,000 metre run with a national record time of 28:48.72, which remained for 32 years, later broken by Surendra Singh.

In the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Chand came 10th in the 10,000 metre run. He also competed in the Men's Marathon at the Moscow Olympics and was placed at the 31st position clocking 2:22:08. (UNI)