Hima Das is in the headlines recently for scripting history on Thursday as she successfully clinched India’s first ever track gold medal at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Finland. It was indeed a great news for her and her family and for the country as well.
Hailing from Assam, the 18-year-old Hima Das made the entire nation proud as she came through with flying colours. The incredible fight that she put up at the mega event just goes to show that she is determined to win. Her undisputed exuberance also reinstilled faith in women empowerment.
Hima Das recorded a time of 51.46 seconds in the 400m race event. After winning the gold for India in the World Junior Championships, she was blissfully pleased as punch with her efforts that reaped rewards. She took time to thank all the Indians who supported and cheered her through and through.
“I am very happy to win the gold in the World Junior Championships. I want to thank all the Indians back home and also those, who were here cheering me. It was very encouraging to have this kind of support,” an emotional Hima Das said after the race.
She now joins the majestic company of star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who clinched a gold in Poland in the last edition in 2016 in what was a world record effort. Well, Hima Das is the first Indian track athlete to have clinched a medal in the history of this competition.
Seema Punia and Navjeet Kaur Dhillon were the previous medal winners at the World Junior Championships. Seema won a bronze medal in ‘discus’ in 2002 while Navjeet won bronze in 2014.
