The world of Hima Das(h)!
On available evidence, no 18yearold girl in history has run the 400m faster. And it is likely that no teen or seasoned pro has slashed nearly 5 seconds in less than a year in the lungbusting event.
She does not run out of breath on the track, she does not run out of words off it. Welcome to the world of Hima Das, one she is changing around her with each 400m outing.
On available evidence, no 1■yearold girl in history has run the 400m faster. And it is likely that no teen or seasoned pro has slashed nearly 5 seconds in less than a year in the lungbusting event. What’s more, she started doing the 400m barely about a year ago.
The Arjuna Award in the kitty, the athlete from Assam also has sportswear giant adidas in her corner now.
Her rating as India’s brand ambassador of adidas is a far cry from her first ₹1,200 spikes. “It was a local wala (locally manufactured). I asked papa. He bought it from Guwahati,” says Hima. “It lasted a long time. I played interdistrict and nationals in them.”
The spotlight has been chasing Hima for some time now, as she chased better timings. The blur of a 50.79s national record at the Asian Games to bag silver in August, following her gold at the IAAF World U20 Championships in Tampere in July, has propelled her to superstardom. Her U20 gold was India’s first global track title.
These days, it’s rest and recovery for Hima after a long season. Not to forget, a few brand commitments. She is doing her training sessions, but nothing intense. It's all “dheeredheere” (slow and steady).
For someone who is hurtling towards creating her own sporting history, Hima is not one for idolising global track stars in her event. Talk of 2016 Olympic champion Shaunae Milleruibo, or Salwa Eid Naser, who won gold ahead of her at the Asian Games, does not draw her out. She does not