Sprinter Hima Das scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman athlete to win a gold at the world level as she clinched the top spot in the women's 400m final race in the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships here.
The 18-year-old Das, a pre-tournament favourite, clocked 51.46s to win the gold, which triggered a wild celebration at the Indian camp. This was though not her personal best as she had clocked 51.13 last month in Guwahti at the National Inter State Championships.
No woman before Das has won a gold medal in a World Championship at any level, be it youth, junior or senior.
She is also the first Indian -- men or women -- to have won a gold in a track event at the world level.
Tense on the starting block, Hima started slow and trailed on the home stretch, but her blazing run in the final 80m, where she overtook three rivals, saw her clocking 51.46 seconds.
Romania's Andrea Miklos took the silver in 52.07 while Taylor Manson of USA was third in 52.28.
Tears rolling down her cheeks, #HimaDas sings the Indian National anthem after receiving the Gold medal. A moment to savour. For what else can true love be quantified in but tears. pic.twitter.com/BRmFernRsB
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) July 13, 2018
"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," she said after the race.
Hima Das is 18 years old from Assam's rice field. The current women's world record is 47.60 seconds set on 6 October 1985 by Marita Koch. Hima Das clocked 51.46 seconds! We'll do whatever is needed to support. By "2020 Tokyo Olympics" she would be 20 years old. Watch out๐ฎ๐ณเฅค https://t.co/SjZu5S57FX
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 13, 2018
Entire nation is proud of Hima Das, who created history by winning Gold in the women’s 400m event at the IAAF World U20 Championships. Miles to go. My best wishes for your bright future. Jai Hind. pic.twitter.com/MUqQ2byhj6
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 13, 2018
In Guwahati, her coach Nipon Das says he wasn't worried when Hima wasn't among the top three at the final curve. "Her race begins in the final 80 metres. Her progress just shows how much potential she has. It has been just two years since she first wore spikes," says the coach about her ward whose personal best is 51.13 seconds.
Das, from Dhing village in Assam's Nagaon distrist, now joins the illustrious company of star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won a gold in Poland in the last edition in 2016 in a world record effort.
In the video below, you will see what makes Hima Das, Gold medalist at the world under-20 Athletics Championship, in Finland, so special!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 13, 2018
This is India’s first ever Gold in a track event at a world championship.
I salute her achievement & congratulate her on her historic win. pic.twitter.com/N4q62mVecM
Rice Farmers Daughter,Indian sprinter Hima Das scripts history clinching gold at IAAF world under 20 athletics championship. You made India proud beyond words.
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) July 13, 2018
Those tears say it all !!!#HimaDas pic.twitter.com/2ou7nfAWGf
In fact, Das is the first Indian track athlete to have won a medal in the history of this competition.
The other medal winners are -- Seema Punia (bronze in discus in 2002) and Navjeet Kaur Dhillon (bronze in discus in 2014).
Not a normal feat! I closely follow Olympic records since 1936 Berlin Olympics. Running defines the ultimate limits of human endurance. Except Liu Xiang, Gold at 2004 Athens & Susanthika, Silver at 2000 Sydney, no other Asian has won Olympic sprint. Hima Das is India's future! pic.twitter.com/rV5aPtYFOO
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 13, 2018
Das was the favourite to win gold as she is the U-20 season leader in this quarter-mile event. Her rise has been nothing less than meteoric as she took up serious running only last year.
What an incredible achievement for #HimaDas, the first Indian to win a Gold Medal in 400m Sprint at the World Under-20 Championship. The country is so proud of you! ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ณ
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 13, 2018
Das had earlier clocked an Indian U-20 record of 51.32 seconds to finish sixth in the Commonwealth Games 400m final in Gold Coast in April. Since then, she has gone onto improving her timings. She lowered the Indian U-20 record in 400m to 51.13 seconds while winning gold in the recent National Inter State Championships in Guwahati.
FROM ASSAM'S RICE FIELDS TO WINNING GOLD:
Hima started off with football, kicking the ball with boys in the mud pits next to the rice fields. She was then advised by a local coach to take up athletics.
Smt @nsitharaman congratulates Cadet Hima Das for her historical achievement! You have made the nation proud. Jai Hindi ! ๐ฎ๐ณ https://t.co/XlqvgT4pXz
— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) July 13, 2018
Soon, the teenager was spotted by Nipon, an athletics coach with the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare, during an inter-district meet.
"She was wearing cheap spikes but she won gold in the 100 and 200. She ran like the wind. I hadn't seen such a talent in ages," Nipon says.
Nagaon(Assam): 18-year-old #HimaDas scripted history by winning gold medal in women's 400m finals at World U-20 Championships in Finland. Her father Ranjit says 'We are very happy that our daughter won gold for the country, she has worked very hard, may she prosper even more' pic.twitter.com/zUcpUkDMn3
— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2018
The coach asked Hima to shift to Guwahati, 140 km from her village, and convinced the youngster that she had a future in athletics. Her parents, Ronjit Das and Jomali, were initially reluctant to let the youngest of six children leave. But with Nipon not ready to hear a no, they relented.
Nipon arranged for Hima to stay in a rented accommodation near the Sarusajai Sports Complex. He eventually convinced officials to induct her into the state academy, which specialised in boxing and football.
Hima Das show's the Indian youth what we can achieve all we need to do is believe in ourselves by just being Indian. #HimaDas pic.twitter.com/lZ9ShK6JZD
— Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) July 13, 2018
"There was no separate wing for athletics but the officials were open to Hima being part of the academy after seeing her performances. Assam is not known to produce runners," he says.
CELEBS LAUD HIMA DAS FOR CREATING HISTORY FOR INDIAN ATHLETICS
Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha and Akshay Kumar on Friday congratulated Indian athlete Hima Das who created history by winning gold in the women's 400 metre event at the IAAF World U20 in Finland.
Held at Tampere, Hima on Thursday registered a time of 51.46 seconds in the final at the Ratina Stadium to become the first Indian athlete to win gold in a world championship across all age groups.
She also did well in the earlier rounds, winning Heat 4 with a time of 52.25 seconds. She emerged on top in the semi-finals as well, winning her race in 52.10 seconds.
Here's what the celebrities have tweeted:
Amitabh Bachchan: Congratulation. Hima Das, the first Indian women to win a gold in world athletic track event ever! India is proud of you. You have given us reason to hold up our heads high! Jai Hind!
T 2865 - CONGRATULATIONS .. #HimaDas , the first Indian Women to win a GOLD in World Athletic track event EVER ! INDIA is proud of you .. you have given us reason to hold up our heads HIGH ! JAI HIND !! ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ณ pic.twitter.com/Q0YVCx6FSf
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 12, 2018
Thank so much for your love and support ๐๐ผ
— Hima Das (@HimaDas8) July 12, 2018
I am happy that I could bring gold for my country and I will try my level best to bring more medals and to do more achievements for my country in the coming days. Keep supporting ๐ #loveyouall #proudmoment #monjai #lovemycountry๐ฎ๐ณ pic.twitter.com/DJQicYQE0X
Shatrugan Sinha: Yet another brilliant performance from India's daughter... Kudos to India's Hima Das who made history by becoming our first track athlete to become a world champion at any level after winning the women's 400m at the U-20 World Championships in Tampere, Finland, on Thursday. Hima Das.
Yet another brilliant performance from India's daughter..Kudos to India's Hima Das who made history by becoming our first track athlete to become a world champion at any level after winning the women's 400m at the U-20 World Championships in Tampere, Finland on Thursday#HimaDas
— Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) July 13, 2018
Akshay Kumar: Historic! Congratulations Hima Das for winning India's first gold at a global track event in Under - 20 World Athletics. Nicely done.
Historic! Congratulations Hima Das for winning India's first Gold at a global track event in Under - 20 World Athletics. Nicely done ๐๐
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) July 12, 2018
Farhan Akhtar: Congratulations Hima Das. 400 metre winner in world Under-20 championships. Proud moment. It is amazing that it coincides with the five year anniversary of 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' and Milkhaji's biggest dream was to witness an Indian athlete win gold in track and field.
Congratulations #HimaDas.. 400 meter winner in world Under-20 championships.. proud moment.
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) July 12, 2018
It’s amazing that it coincides with the 5 year anniversary of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag & Milkha-ji’s biggest dream was to witness an Indian athlete win Gold in track & field. ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
Arjun Rampal: Congratulations Hima Das for this stupendous feat. The toughest race 400 metres. The first Indian athlete to win a title in any track event. Huge day for Indian athletics.
For all those who missed this extraordinary run by #HimaDas here it is. This is by far the toughest race in athletics #400m #indiaproud #history pic.twitter.com/H0TphC3gc6
— arjun rampal (@rampalarjun) July 13, 2018
Dia Mirza: Proud proud proud! What an incredible day Hima Das. India.
Proud proud proud!!! What an incredible day #HimaDas #India https://t.co/SXa4Y8sdAA
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) July 12, 2018
Insaaaaane @HimaDas8 โค๏ธ๐ you make us proud! https://t.co/oQ73stncjl
— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) July 13, 2018
