India’s golden girl Hima Das returns to rousing reception
guwahati — Sprint sensation Hima Das returned to her home state Assam, India, on Friday to a rousing reception, following her exploits at the Asian Games and the IAAF World Junior Championships.
After scripting history by becoming the first Indian woman athlete to clinch a gold medal in the World U-20 Athletics Championships in Finland earlier this year, Hima followed it up by bagging a gold and two silver medals in the Asian Games in Jakarta.
The 18-year-old sprinter, fondly called ‘Dhing Express’ after her village, had gone to the Indonesian capital after training in Europe.
Hima was received at the LPGB airport here by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and many of his cabinet colleagues with a traditional Assamese ‘gamosa’ (scarf of honour) around her neck.
Her farmer parents Ronjit and Jonali Das were also present at the airport. Escorted out by 25 Assam Police special women commandos, the athlete walked on a specially laid out red carpet designed like a running track with number markings.
To the beats of drum and Bihu dances, the sprinter, wearing a red track suit jacket with blue jeans, was taken in a white luxury car. The vehicle with Hima standing through its sun roof was part of procession of cars.
At the Asian Games, she set a national record by clocking 51.00 to qualify for the 400 metre final and bettered it with 50.79 to clinch silver. She went on to win another silver in the mixed 4x400m relay and bagged a gold in the women’s 4x400m relay.
On arriving at the Sarusajai Stadium, Hima kissed the track.
“I trained here and I always thought that it is from this track that I will go forward. I thank all for making me achieve what I have done so far. I will continue to go forward,” she said.
“People from Dhing have come all the way here. Because of their love for me, they walked the route from the airport even under the scorching sun while I was inside the car,” the athlete said.