Hima Das
Hima Das at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. Photo Credit - UB Photos

Assamโ€™s golden girl Hima Das on Tuesday said she didnโ€™t expect to be nominated for the Arjuna award this year, despite her stunning season in international athletics.

18-year-old Hima was among the 20 sportspersons recommended for the Arjuna Award, which is subject to approval by Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

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Hima was also made the brand ambassador of the sports manufacturing giant Adidas.

Nicknamed the โ€œDhing Expressโ€, Hima has been a sensation this year as she added three medals โ€“ a gold and two silvers from the 18th Asian Games โ€“ to her World Championship gold.

The star sprinter won gold in womenโ€™s 4ร—400m and silver medals in mixed 4x400m and 400m individual event.

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Asked when she will start training, Hima said, โ€œThe season is over now. Next year, there is South Asian Games, Asian Championship and World Championship, so how to approach the different events and how to prepare I will do it during training.โ€

Asked which race she holds close to her heart, Hima said: โ€œThe Finland (World Junior Championship) race remains one of my favourites and also the semifinal at Asian Games when it had started raining.โ€

Hima had produced her personal best timing of 50.79 secs to win silver at the 400m race.

โ€œThere are few targets in my mind. I will do that one by one. People expects a lot for me now and I will achieve that. I scored 50.79 at Asian Games, so even 50.78 is a step ahead,โ€ she said, reports The Assam Tribune.

โ€œI thrive in competition, it feels good to improve timings and create records.โ€

Asked about the contribution of Indiaโ€™s foreign coach Galina Petrova Bukharina, Hima said: โ€œShe is very supportive. She herself is an Olympian and sometimes we also donโ€™t realize her methods and later we come to know why we did a particular training. So we always come prepared everyday for the challenge that she will throw at us.โ€

Asked if she will participate at the National Open Athletics Championships to be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on September 25.

โ€œAt this moment, I havenโ€™t decided if I will participate in the open Nationals. Lets see,โ€ said Hima, who had withdrawn from IAAF Continental Cup which was held on September 8 and 9.

Hima gets the crowd involved exuding confidence ahead of her races.

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