Hima Das: World Championship Gold Medalist who is destined for greater heights
Indian champion sprinter Hima Das bagged her fourth gold medal in the two weeks as she went on win the 200m race in record time in the Tabor Athletics Meet going on in Czech Republic on Wednesday. Hima went on to win in just 23.25 seconds. Although most other players represented clubs of the local team Czech Republic, she is inching closer to her personal best time of 23.10 seconds. It is to be noted that that her fellow compatriot V K Vismaya was the one who came second in the race as she recorded a time of 23.43. Notably, the teenager started her gold winning spree this month on 2 July when she participated in her first race in Europe. She has only bettered her time since then. In her first competitive 200 meters race of 2019, the Assam sprinter registered a time of 23.65 seconds on her way to gold at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland. Hima’s meteoric rise in the sporting world is as much a story about a teacher as it is about a student. Interestingly only 24 months prior to making headlines for the first time, the 19-year old had donned a proper spike for the first time ever. However, Das has etched her name in history books forever and has started a new chapter in Indian sporting arena.
It is worth noting here that Hima actually started her career with football and used to play along with the boys in her locality. Then a Physical Education Trainer in her area by the name of Shamsul Haque advised her to switch to athletics. When she switched to athletics, she was spotted by her present trainer Nipon Das. Nipon was really impressed with the raw talent and ability that she seemed to possess. In spite of wearing cheap and poor quality shoes, Hima did not only compete but won 100 and 200 meters races at the local level. Somehow Nipon managed to convince her to shift to Guwahati which was the nearest city with proper sporting infrastructure. It is perhaps Nipon’s passion and Hima’ talent that is bearing fruit in the form of gold medals and making the entire nation proud.
More Info: PlanSportz
From Dhing village to World Championship Gold Medals, Hima Das has been part of an incredible journey so far but Indian sporting fans and those who have followed her career till now would agree that perhaps she is destined for greater heights.