Dattu Bhokanal will be competing in the men’s singles sculls rowing event for India at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Dattu Bhokanal, hailing from the state of Maharashtra will be India’s sole rower at Rio. 10th standard pass out gave up his studies to support his family after his father died of bone cancer in 2011. Shortly before he was due to depart for South Korea, his mother suffered brain damage in a fall resulting in almost total amnesia. Dattu worked at a petrol pump when field work didn’t earn much. He got a kick out of driving trucks. Bhokanal’s best international achievement so far was winning a silver in men’s single sculls in the 16th Asian Rowing Championships in China last year. He won two gold medals in the 2014 National Rowing Championships and represented India at the 2014 Asian Games in China.
Age: 22
Event: Rowing (Singles Sculls)
Event Date:
Qualifying Event: Dattu Bhokanal won the silver medal at the FISA Asian and Oceania Olympic qualification regatta
Career Highlights: Dattu Bhokanal’s best international achievement so far was winning a silver in men’s single sculls in the 16th Asian Rowing Championships in China in 2015.
