With her fastest 100m run, Hima pips Dutee for gold

The same ground where she was to be part of the India team in 2017 turned out to be the lucky venue once again.
Hima Das (L) won the gold medal with an effort of 11.43 secs in the senior inter-state national meet on Saturday (Photo| Martin Louis)
Hima Das (L) won the gold medal with an effort of 11.43 secs in the senior inter-state national meet on Saturday (Photo| Martin Louis)

CHENNAI: Injuries can be crushing. At times mentally draining. Making a comeback can be equally challenging. After scorching the track in 400m, setting the national record with a run of 50.79s, winning gold at the Asian Games in 2018, touted as the next quarter-mile sensation and then slipping off the 400m block. The story cannot get more compelling. The same ground where she was to be part of the India team in 2017 turned out to be the lucky venue once again.

On a humid Saturday evening, Hima ran her fastest 100m. As she crossed the finish line, at 11.43s she took a glance to her left — Srabani Nanda in Lane 4 was next to her and on Lane 3 national record holder in 100m Dutee Chand. She raised her hand and let off a yell. It was something cathartic for those torturous times she had to endure while trying to etch her name in the shortest sprint. Dutee finished second with a timing of 11.44s while Srabani clocked 11.53s. Interestingly, this year’s fastest woman athlete S Dhanalakhmi of Tamil Nadu, who clocked 11.26s in Turkey last week, was not running in 100m. In the same meet, Hima was second with a timing of 11.59s. On Friday, she ran 11.67s in the semifinals.

Injured during the Asian track and field in Doha two years ago, Hima could not recover enough to run in the quarter-mile. Losing race after race in 100m and 200m could play havoc, especially in the mind. Hima, however, said that pressure is part of winning. “There is pressure and will be,” she said after the race.

The 22-year-old girl from a small village in Assam felt even in 100m she would be able to do well. “As of now I would be concentrating on 100m and 200m and will see later about other races.” She said it was an ordeal running 400m during her back injury. “My L4 and L5 were gone and while running 400m I was struggling in the last 100m. I could run up to 300m comfortably but the left side of my back hurt after that. When I had tried to take speed in the last 100m once (during training abroad), I was hospitalised. So coaches suggested her to run 100m and 200m.

Hima, however, said that 400m is on her radar but when she did not know. “I have not cut 400m directly. But coming back from injury is a process and that will time. I could not have run 400m. Eventually, I started running 100m and 200m. As of now, I won’t run 400m but later yes. Maybe at the end of this year or early next year, I can run. I can prepare for the next Asian Games.”

Results (select): Men: 100m: 1. Amlan Borgohain (Asm) 10.47s; 2. K Elakkiyadasan (TN) 10.48; 3. Harjit Singh (Pun) 10.55; 400m: 1. Amoj Jacob (Del) 45.68s; 2. Noah Nirmal Tom (Ker) 46.44; 3. Muhammed Ajmal (Ker) 46.58; Pole Vault: 1. S Siva (TN) 5.00m; 2. A Gnana Sone (TN) and Sunil (Har) 4.60; Long Jump: 1 M Sreeshankar (Ker) 8.23m, 2 Muhammed Anees Yahiya (UP) 8.15m; 3. Swaminathan (TN) 7.89; Javelin: 1. Manu DP (Kar) 84.35m (MR); 2 Rohit Yadav (UP) 82.54; Yashvir Singh (Raj) 78.62. Women: 100m: 1. Hima Das (Asm) 11.43s; 2. Dutee Chand (Odi) 11.44; 3. Srabani Nanda (Odi) 11.53; 400m: 1. Kiran Pahal (Har) 52.47s; 2. Rupal Chaudhary (UP) 52.72; 3. R Vithya Ramaraj (TN) 53.78. Shot Put: 1. Manpreet Kaur (Har) 18.06m (NR); 2. Kiran Baliyan (UP) 16.84; 3. Abha Khatua (Mah) 16.69.

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