Hima: ‘Didn’t tell parents about World Championship’

In July, Hima Das scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championship, but her father wasn’t aware of the gravity of the tournament.

Hima claimed three medals, including a gold, at the Asian Games.

India’s young sprinter Hima Das revealed on Friday that she “did not tell” her parents that she was taking part in the IAAF U-20 World Championship in Finland, an event that saw her script history.

In July, 18-year-old Hima scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships as she clinched top spot in the women’s 400m final race on the third day of competitions.

“I did not tell my parents that I was playing such a big tournament. I told them that it was a small game. My parents saw it on television. After I reached the room and called my father, he said ‘I was going to sleep’,” recalled Hima.

“I said, I became world champion and you are sleeping, to which my dad said, let’s see in the morning.”’

Apart from winning the gold medal in Finland, Hima claimed three medals, including a gold, at the Asian Games. She acknowledged that the road ahead will be difficult.

“It will be a challenge, and I will have to train well. It will be a little tough,” she said.

Hima said that post her success, her village in Assam has got new roads and electricity has also come up there.

“There are changes which I noticed, there is a new road and lights have come up in the village,” she said.

(Edelweiss Group, India’s leading diversified financial services conglomerate, on Friday announced the signing of Hima to its roster of women athletes. With this addition, Edelweiss now supports six of India’s iconic women sports champions, including women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal, shooter Heena Sidhu, paddler Manika Batra, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and gymnast Dipa Karmakar ).