It’s a fabulous cast, one loaded with intrigue.
The women’s 400m entry list for the Inter-State Nationals, which begin in Bhubaneswar later this week, has names like Rezoana Mallick Heena, the Asian under-20 and under-18 champion, Federation Cup winner Priya Mohan, last year’s under-20 Worlds bronze medallist Rupal Chaudhary and girls like Aishwarya Mishra and Anjali Devi who have run some sensational times in the past but have also raised eyebrows in many quarters.
And there is Nirmala Sheoran, who won the 400m gold and helped India to the 4x400m women’s relay title at the 2017 Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar but had it all taken away after she failed a dope-test in 2018 and was handed a four-year ban. She’s back now after the ban.
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But there is one quartermiler, who does not figure among the above names, who has quietly run the country’s fastest 400m this year.
Haryana’s Himanshi Malik, who took the varsities Nationals 400m title in an impressive 52.99s in Chennai in March, came up with another stunning time, 52.75s, while winning the Haryana State title in Karnal recently beating Nirmala Sheoran (54.21s).
That made Himanshi the fourth fastest quartermiler in Asia this year. The 21-year-old from Rohtak will be opening her AFI National season in Bhubaneswar.
“Himanshi is capable of running below 52s at the Inter-State and she will try to get the gold,” Ramesh Sindhu, who has been coaching her for the last two years, told Sportstar on Monday.
“She is very strong, her father is a weightlifting coach in Haryana, and her finishing is very good. But her training ‘age’ in athletics is very little, she has been running for just about three years. After some time, she will be running very well.”
Ramesh also revealed that a few of his trainees, including Kiran Pahal and Deepanshi, are in the national camp. “If Himanshi is called for the camp, she will also go,” he said.
Since there is no dope-testing at varsities Nationals, the national body AFI does not consider performances there for its records.
And this year, the federation has not been sending results of State meets to World Athletics to update athletes’ performance charts. So, now not many are aware of what is happening in State meets.
That is one reason why Himanshi’s impressive performances have almost been under wraps. And her progress in the last couple of years have been magical.
Two years ago, her best time in the 400m was 57.06s, late last year she brought it down to 53.53 and now her personal best is 52.75s.
The women’s quartermile could throw up many surprises in Bhubaneswar.
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