First Indian to win the gold medal in the IAAF World U20 championship
EARLY LIFE:
Hima Das was born on January 9, 2000, in Kandhulimari hamlet, near the town of Dhing in Assam. Her father is Ronjit Das, and her mother is Jonali Das.
They are farmers by trade. Das is a member of an Assamese family from the Kaibbarta group. She is the eldest of five siblings.
She had attended Dhing Public High School before enrolling in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya after passing the admission exam in fifth grade. She was initially interested in playing football.
At JNV, she used to play with boys. She aspired to be a football player at the time. She, however, failed not to find a place for herself in India’s women’s football scene. However, when she realized there were no prospects of pursuing it as an athlete on the women’s scene because Indian women weren’t doing well enough internationally, she changed sports from soccer to sprinting on advice from a teacher at her school.
Hima Das, also known as Dhing Express, is an Assamese sprinter. She currently owns the national 400m record with a time of 50.79 seconds. This record was set during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Hima is also India’s first track and field athlete to win gold at the IAAF World U20 Championships.
THE BEGINNING
The beginning of her career is regarded as the most challenging because she had no other option except to practise and enhance her running talents on a real racing track; instead, she used the only option accessible to her- the uneven mud-spattered football pitch. In addition, she was not permitted to use any professional training supplies or facilities. Nonetheless, she won a bronze medal in the inaugural state meet 100 metres event owing to her ability. She gradually rose to the finals of the Junior National Championships.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) grabbed notice of this young athlete in 2017 after she excelled in the U-18 Nationals, Asian and World Youth Championships. The Federation chose her to attend the senior national camp. As a result, the coaches decided to train her for a 400-meter race that would take her to the international zone. With the advice, training, and support of her coaches, she is on her way to worldwide success.
HER CAREER JOURNEY
She competed in the National Youth Athletic Championships in Hyderabad after only two months of training. This is her first formal participation as a representative of the country. As a result, she was appointed as India’s representative in the Junior Youth Asian Championship. Hima Das was coached by Galina Petrovna Bukharina, the head coach of 400 metres and relay races in Patiala, and she was eventually picked for the 2018 Common Wealth Games.
Hima Das set a new national record in her race at the 2018 Asian Games, finishing in 50.79 seconds. That increased her popularity and esteem for her abilities and efforts. The event took place in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia. However, she could only take silver in the event. She did, however, win gold in the mixed 4×400 metres relay races. She also won gold in the 2019 Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland. She also showed her exceptional talent by finishing the 2018 Federation Cup race in Patiala in 51.97 seconds. Her victory in the race appeared to be a straightforward one. Thus, her list of accomplishments is endless.
She was unconcerned with the amount of failures, thus she never gave up. Hima Das has taught the entire nation the value of perseverance despite a lack of suitable training and equipment, professional practice tracks, and a handful of failures. Finally, she made history by finishing the race in 51.46 seconds at the IAAF World U20 Championships. This outstanding success brings a sense of accomplishment to the year 2018. As a result, she is often regarded as the first Indian woman athlete to win gold at the World Athletics Championships. Her accomplishment instils pride in the entire country. During the race, she initially maintained a modest pace and trailed Andrea Miklos, a Romanian runner.
INSPIRATION AND ROLE MODEL FOR THE YOUTH
Hima Das has had a successful year, with multiple victories in a short amount of time. However, a minor hiccup happened when she was preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. She had a back problem that forced her to rest for a few months, preventing her from participating in any running competitions. However, she returned to full duty in July following her rehabilitation. She won five gold medals in a row in 200m events in less than a month. The first accomplishment occurred in the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland. The second one was at the Kutno Athletics Meet, followed by triumphs at the Czech Republic’s Kladno Athletics Meet and a win at the Tabor Athletics Meet. At the MezinarodniAtletickyMitink, the sixth gold medal was won. These victories provided Hima Das with the confidence to continue competing despite his injury. Hima Das has had plenty of time to prepare now that the Tokyo Olympics have been postponed until 2021. Her perseverance has influenced countless others to never give up. People around the country are inspired by her passion and efficiency.
“If you are passionate about something, never let anyone dissuade you away from it,” the athlete, nicknamed Dhing Express, Hima Das said.