Indian rower Dattu Bhokanal qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero after his performance in the Asia Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, on Monday. Competing in the men's single sculls category in the finals, Bhokanal finished with the second fastest time (7 minutes 07.49 seconds) in the 2-km course to win a silver medal and clinch a spot at the Olympics.

"It’s a great achievement for everybody concerned, especially considering that qualifying for the Olympics is huge in itself. The federation is really happy for Dattu, the coach [Ismail Baig] and support staff, for they have put in lot of effort to ensure such a historic milestone," said the secretary general of the Rowing Federation of India Captain Girish J Phadnis, reported The New Indian Express.

Bhokanal is from Maharashtra's Nashik district. He took up rowing after he joined the army. He won a silver medal in the single sculls category at the Asian Rowing Championship in Beijing in 2015.