On this day (July 12) in 2018, Dhing Express Hima Das scripted history by winning the gold in the 400m at the Under-20 IAAF World Championships in Finland.
Thus Hima became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the field and track event in any world championship.
Remembering her feat, Hima tweeted: “That was the beginning of an endless story on a white paper. Happy anniversary.”
After that day, Hima became a sensation overnight across the country. Her social media followers increased in great numbers. Celebrities, politicians and sportspersons lined up to congratulate the girl from Nagaon in Assam.
Hima Das became a household name. Top brands fought with each other to sign her for their companies and so on. Ministers gathered at her residence in a tiny hamlet in Dhing in Nagaon to felicitate her parents.
That was the beginning of an endless story on a white paper.
Happy anniversary pic.twitter.com/41HzkCSYzT— Hima (mon jai) (@HimaDas8) July 12, 2022
Thus, she set a landmark in the field and track events in the country. She became a source of inspiration.
The kind of attention Hima drew after her success, many parents and youngsters started to believe that one can be a famous sportsperson even without playing cricket in India.
Lakhya Konwar, vice president of the Athletics Federation of India also paid tribute to Hima’s achievement.
History was written on this day in 2018. @HimaDas8 won the Gold medal in 400 M race to become the first Indian to win a gold medal in World Track and Field. Congratulations Hima. pic.twitter.com/ehXYf2EJrR
— LAKHYA KONWAR (@_LakhyaKonwar_) July 12, 2022
“History was written on this day in 2018. @HimaDas8 won the Gold medal in 400 M race to become the first Indian to win a gold medal in World Track and Field. Congratulations Hima,” Konwar wrote on Twitter on July 12.
Will never forget 12 July 2018 in Tampere, Finland when i became first Indian to win a gold medal in 400 m in the World U-20 Athletics Championship. Totally unbelievable moment it was. Again thanks to my coaches, @afiindia @Media_SAI my family, friends and fans for their support. pic.twitter.com/TOWAUb003o
— Hima (mon jai) (@HimaDas8) July 12, 2020
Now Hima Das will be participating in the 4x100m relay at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
“This training is usually different from the training we do on regular days. We increase the speed in such training, normal training se yeh achhi hai because yeh jaldi khatam ho jaati hai… The team will give its best in the Commonwealth Games. The team is very strong, I will participate in 4×100,” Hima was quoted as saying by The Times of India in a recent interview.
“While preparing, I don’t think about the medal, main time ke peeche bhaagti hoon. Medal toh apne aap aa jayega agar time achcha hoga toh. There is pressure, which is normal, but 99% of the time I go on the track without any pressure. And I think that is my plus point.”
