Dattu Bhokanal: Rowing with the hope to win medal at Rio

Dattu Bhokanal became only the ninth Indian to represent the country at the Olympics in rowing. He was born in stone crushing laborer family in Maharashtra. He clocked 7 minutes and 7.63 seconds, to win the silver medal in the men’s single sculls event and qualify for the Rio Olympics at the FISA Asian Ocean Olympic Qualification in South Korea.

Dattu won two gold medals in the 2014 National Rowing Championships, representing the Services and finished 5th in the 2014 Asian Games. In the Asian Championships, he bagged the silver medal.

Once afraid of water, Bhokanal has entered the record books after he qualified for the quarter-finals of the men's single sculls after finishing third in his qualifying round of the Rio Olympics on Saturday.