India’s greatest long-distance runner Hari Chand passes away

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<strong>He ran barefoot with tape around his feet and yet he was a winner all the way and now he is no more. He is one of India’s greatest long-distance runners Hari Chand who passed away today at the age of 69 at Hoshiarpur, Punjab.</strong></p>
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Chand participated twice in the Olympics. In the Montreal Summer Olympics in 1976, he came eighth in the 10,000 metres. His timing of 28:48.72, was a record which stood for 32 years, till it was broken by Surendra Singh.</p>
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In the Men's Marathon in Moscow Olympics in 1980, Chand completed the race with a timing of 2:22:08.</p>
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At the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games, he came up with an incredible performance as he won two gold medals. He finished first in the 5,000 and 10,000 metre races.</p>
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Talking to NDTV Khajan Singh, Asian Games medallist swimmer about Hari Chand’s demise said: "It's a great loss for Indian sport. In the CRPF, he was my superior. He was so competitive and yet so simple. He used to groom players everywhere he went. I personally learned a lot from him. He was like a guiding light to many of us.”</p>
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Born on April 1, 1953, Chand hailed from Ghorewah village in Hoshiarpur.</p>