Hima Das fails to finish 200m race at Indian Grand Prix-1 following a 13-month absence

Indian sprinter Hima Das's return to competitive sports proved anti-climactic after she failed to finish the 200m race at the Indian Grand Prix-1 on Tuesday, April 30. She started the race but left after completing just over 50 meters at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

This was a momentous occasion for the athlete from Assam as she was returning after an absence of 13 months. It was caused by a provisional suspension imposed by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Hima had incurred three whereabout failures within a period of 12 months.

This left her in a limbo for a prolonged period before a panel of the agency cleared her return. However, the star sprinter, thought of as a leading light in the world of Indian sprinting, failed to even complete her comeback event.

Following her premature exit from the race, the 24-year-old refused to speak to the media present at the venue.

As of now, there is no clarity on what exactly caused her failure to complete the race. The most likely cause is some sort of injury or niggle, possibly a result of track rustiness. However, until an official word from the athlete or the organizing body, one can only speculate.

In Hima Das' absence, the race was won by Kerala's Vismaya VK, who crossed the finishing line in 23.96 seconds. Hima's personal best is 22.88 seconds, which she registered in 2021, at a meet in Patiala, Punjab.

Tajinderpal Singh Toor to be in action at Indian Grand Prix-1

Apart from the return of Hima Das, another attraction of the ongoing meet in Bengaluru is the participation of Tajinderpal Singh Toor. The two-time Asian Games gold medalist in shot put will be looking to get past the Olympic qualifying mark of 21.50 meters.

This is not difficult for the 29-year-old as his personal best stands at 21.77 meters, which is an Asian record. Toor had achieved this distance in June last year at a meet in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.

Currently ranked No. 19 in the world rankings, Toor isn't a major medal hopeful for India. However, his presence itself will be a boost for India's growing stature on the global athletics stage.