Taking Class 12 exams, Hima flits between books and track

New Delhi, February 14

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She has been scorching the track with one record after another but India’s new sprint sensation Hima Das doesn’t want to be left behind in studies either and is juggling between training and exams. The transformation of Hima, the reigning world junior champion in 400m, into a top quartermiler has been nothing short of phenomenal considering that she has already run sub-51 sec at only 19 years of age.

Hima kept improving her timing through last year, culminating in a national record time of 50.79 seconds while winning silver in the Asian Games.

But, like any other youngster, she realises the need to have an educational degrees. She is currently appearing for her Class 12 exams under the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council.

“I am looking at some major tournaments in 2019 and I am trying to focus on my training along with taking examination,” Hima said from Guwahati.

Hima’s board exams began on February 12 and will go on till the middle of March. She is not staying at her native village, in order to appear for the examination at the nearby Dhing College. She is shuttling between her home and Guwahati’s Sports Authority of India hostels, 120kms away.

Training, studies

“I have made my schedule in such a way that whenever I am getting time from studies, I do my training,” said Hima. Hima’s next paper is on Saturday (February 16) and she will come back home from Guwahati on the evening of Friday, her cousin Bijoy Das said. “She came on the evening of February 11, appeared for her first paper the next morning and left home for Guwahati in the afternoon just after the examination is over,” Bijoy said. “She told us she will come on Friday evening again for her second paper and then again go back to Guwahati for training.”

The athletics season starts next month with the Federation Cup National Championships, which will serve as the selection trial for the Asian Championships (April 21-14). Asked how Hima will appear for the papers as well participate in the Nationals, Bijoy said, “Her exams end before the Nationals so it should not be a problem.” — PTI