New Delhi
Dhing is a village around 30 km from Nagaon town in Assam. Most people outside the state had no clue about its existence; all that changed on Thursday night.
Eighteen-year-old Hima Das, the daughter of a farmer from Dhing, has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at a track event of a world championships.
After her stellar victory, her coach Nipon Das praised the athlete’s mettle. “She does not get overawed by anybody and does not care about her opponents. In every race, her goal is to beat the best with better timing,” Nipon was quoted as saying in The Hindu.
Hima who had a slow start, managed to speed past her rivals in the last 80 metres where she clocked 51.46 seconds to finish first.
Soon after Das’ nail-biting performance, her village broke out in celebrations.
“We’re elated. She is not only the glory of Dhing (her hometown), but also the pride of Assam. We pray that she achieves more success in future,” said the athlete’s mother, Jonali Das.
Ranjit Das, Hima’s father, expressed his delight over her triumph. “We hope she will continue winning gold in upcoming tournaments bringing pride and glory to the state and country.”
Meanwhile, congratulatory messages poured in from across the country with Prime Minister Modi tweets.
India is delighted and proud of athlete Hima Das, who won a historic Gold in the 400m of World U20 Championships. Congratulations to her! This accomplishment will certainly inspire young athletes in the coming years.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2018
