Ace sprinter Hima Das qualified for the 400m final at the 18th Asian Games 2018 currently underway at Jakarta and Palembang after she came second in her heat and second overall clocking 51 seconds. Hima, one of the favourites to win the gold in the event, also set a new national record.
#AsianGames : Hima Das qualifies for 400 m final finishing second in her heat and second overall clocking 51 seconds. Hima has also set a new national record. pic.twitter.com/dnXP92AkYp
— NEWS LIVE (@NewsLiveGhy) August 25, 2018
#BREAKING | Hima Das breaks national record and qualifies for the Final of Women's 400 m dash at the #AsianGames. Hima finished second in her heat clocking an impressive 51 secs, just behind Bahrain's Salwa Eid Naser who clocked 50.86. She breaks Manjit Kaur's record of 51:05 sec pic.twitter.com/7Ibijq6gFg
— NEWS LIVE (@NewsLiveGhy) August 25, 2018
Another Indian sprinter Nirmala also secured a place in the 400 metres finals after she won her heat with a timing of 54.09 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Hima, who had created history by becoming the first Indian to win a track gold in the IAAF World Under-20 championships at Tampare in Finland in July this year, told News Live in an exclusive interview at Jakarta that her main focus was to improve her timing in her bid to earn a podium finish.
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Meanwhile, people across Assam, and more particularly at Dhing — her home town — burst crackers and celebrated after she reached the final.
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