New Delhi: Star sprinter Hima Das Tuesday backtracked from her statements against two individuals from Assam whom she had accused of exerting ‘tremendous pressure’ ahead of her flunked 200 metre semifinal at the Asian Games in Indonesia which concluded Sunday. She clarified that the statements came in a heat of the moment and she has no personal animosity towards any individual.
“It was a reaction coming out of the heat of the moment. There are no personal grudges against anyone in particular. Let’s not blow the controversy out of proportion and mind our own businesses. Let bygones be bygones,” Hima told this agency.
The incident happened August 28, around an hour before she claimed the silver in the mixed 4X400 metres relay along with Muhammed Anas, Rajiv Arokia and MR Poovamma, the teenaged Assam girl was red-carded following a false start in her women’s 200m semifinal.
Dejected at the early eviction, Hima took to social media later in the evening, where she blamed two persons from her home state for creating an unnecessary controversy, which she felt was the reason for her flop show. On being probed further Hima confessed to being confused, considering the upcoming 4X400 metre mixed relay event in the next hour.
“There was bit of a confusion during the 200m semifinal as there were four gold medals at stake in the 4X400 mixed relay event. I could not afford to lose that. There was no such pressure during the 200m race but the focus was on the next event – the mixed relay,” she said.
Hima, who clinched the silver in the 400m sprint event, revealed that her biggest advantage in the competition was being a new-comer to the global athletics scene.
“My biggest advantage was I didn’t know any of the athletes competing with me, leave aside their records. So there was no question of any pressure. It was a great learning experience for me, running alongside the greats in track and field,” she added.
Hima, who hails from Kandhulimari village in Dhing, in central Assam’s Nagaon district, said she missed her family as her parents are yet to meet her in person.
“My mother isn’t aware of my sport while my dad being a former footballer knows a bit. They are really happy but they weren’t aware of my gold medal feat in Finland,” she said.
“I plainly told them it was another one-off event but the next morning when congratulatory messages poured in, they came to know that it was a global tournament. I am yet to meet them personally, let’s see,” Hima summed up.