4 min readOct 21, 2021 08:16 AM IST
First published on: Oct 20, 2021 at 08:06 PM IST
Even before the dates for the post-Olympics national camp were announced, sprinter Hima Das reached the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. After failing to make the cut for the Tokyo Olympics, the 21-year-old runner from Assam was away from the track for almost three months. The forced break, coach Galina Bukharina believes, has made Hima reassess her career goals.
Hima, after switching from the 400 metres, an event in which she is the national record holder, to the 100 and 200 metres, has had an inconsistent run so far. At the Inter-state meet in June, Hima suffered a hamstring injury during the 100m heats. It derailed her Tokyo qualification bid.
Just a few months earlier at Federation Cup in March, Hima looked in good form as she clocked 23.21s (22.80 Olympic qualification mark) to win the 200m title.
Coach Galina was pleased with Hima’s Federation Cup results but at the back of her mind, the seasoned coach knew Hima wouldn’t be able to build on the momentum and make the cut for the Tokyo Games.
“She was not ready for this kind of result yet and she didn’t take her practice seriously. Her practice over the two years was like this: two days good, three days bad, and one day good, two days bad. She always found an explanation for her bad days. She didn’t try to push herself hard,” Galina told The Indian Express.
The seasoned Russian-American coach felt that Hima tried to push herself to the limit in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics when she was not prepared for it. “She forgot that if you are not ready for 22 (seconds), mentally you won’t be able to push for 22. She tried to do that and that is why she got injured,” Galina says.
Galina, a coach with over 47 years of experience, believes Hima is a great talent but certain issues need to be addressed for her to fulfill her potential. Staying grounded is one of them.
“She got too much attention after the World Junior medal (2018) …I need her to understand that right now her future is in sport. If she wants to be in the sport she has to be a little more demanding to herself. Not to me, I am at the track every day. If she comes and says, ‘coach my body hurts today”, I tell her to go get treatment. What else can I say?” Galina says.
The three-month break from athletics has done Hima a world of good, Galina believes. It gave the youngster time to reassess her plans and realise where she went wrong this season.
“She got injured and couldn’t make it to the Olympic Games and when she was doing nothing for three months, she finally understood that she has to do her job absolutely differently. She called me and told me ‘coach I have understood everything,” Galina says.
Galina firmly believes in Hima and her abilities. The 76-year-old coach is banking on Hima’s leadership to stitch together a solid 100m relay squad for the Asian Games. Hima is currently recovering after testing positive for Covid after reporting to the national camp in Patiala. “I still believe in her. She has some really good qualities. She is a very good leader,” Galina adds.
From winning the historic U 20 World Championship 400m gold to not being able to qualify for Tokyo Olympics, Hima has not lived up to her potential. Galina believes Hima will learn from her mistakes and overcome this slump.
“This year will be absolutely different. She is waiting for the camp to begin and to start a very decent season. She is looking to do well at the Asian Games in 4x100m. She is not only angry but hungry to do something really good. These are life lessons and probably this was good in a way. She is very young.”
Coach Galina was pleased with Hima’s Federation Cup results but at the back of her mind, the seasoned coach knew Hima wouldn't be able to build on the momentum and make the cut for the Tokyo Games (Twitter/AFI) 
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