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Hima Das to target Worlds slot in international meets
Hima Das’ name figures in the eight-member list of participants from Assam for the four-day Inter State Championship here but her coach Nipon Das said the ‘Dhing Express’ will not participate.
Hima Das is racing against time to qualify for the World Athletics Championships scheduled to be held at Doha from September 28 to October 6 and she is looking to meet the standards away from home.
Her name figures in the eight-member list of participants from Assam for the four-day Inter State Championship here but her coach Nipon Das said the ‘Dhing Express’ will not participate.
“Yes, Hima won’t be running in domestic events here as she has decided to run for qualification at international meets,” said Das.
Hima will participate in Czech Republic on August 28. Her season’s best in 400m is 52.09s during an event at the Czech Republic on July 20 and she needs to clock 51.80s to qualify for the World Championships. Her personal best is 50.79s, which she achieved at the 2018 Asian Games. She will have to achieve the qualification mark by September 6.
If Hima fails to meet the standard in Czech Republic she might have to make a last-minute dash to New Delhi for the India Grand Prix-6 on September 5.
Hima, who came to spotlight after winning gold medal in U-20 World Championships in 2018, won a hat-trick of medals at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, including two gold medals in 4x400m relay and 4x400m mixed relay. She won silver medal in 400m individual event.
The 19-year-old has been in good form recently winning six gold medals in meets in Poland and Czech Republic but she has not been able to achieve the cut off for World Championships.
Meanwhile, the organizers here said that other than the Indians, athletes from other Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Iran, Maldives, Kazakhstan and Bhutan too have confirmed their participation in the championship here. “Athletes from Afghanistan are also expected to participate in the event here and a final confirmation from them is expected soon as they have some visa issue right now,” said UP Athletics Association’s secretary PK Srivastava.
