2021 Tokyo Olympics | Hima Das set to miss Games after sustaining hamstring injury

It was back in 2018 that Hima Das created history by becoming India’s first sprinter to win a gold medal at an international track event, when she claimed a gold medal in the women’s 400m event at the World U20 Championships, in Tampere, Finland. She followed it up with a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games, along with two gold medals in the relay events.

It was expected of her to make her maiden appearance at the Olympics next month, but fate had other plans. Foremost, the Indian relay team was forced to miss the qualifying event in Poland owing to travel restrictions. Hima was all set to make the Tokyo cut at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships, which was the last qualifying event for the mega event.

However, she sustained a hamstring injury during the 100m heats and could not continue. She also pulled out of the women’s 4*400m event, while her sprint in the 200m event was well short of the qualification mark. Indian sports minister Kiren Rijiju had a word with Hima and insisted her not to lose heart.