Asian Games 2018: I run after timings, not medals, says Hima Das

Hima Das had Asia's fastest quarter-miler Yaser Salwa for company and the Indian smartly finished a close second, clocking 51.00s to the Bahrain champ's new Asian Games record time of 50.86s, and comfortably qualified

Hima Das couldn't have asked for a better first heat in the 400m at her Asian Games debut here on Saturday. The 18-year-old 400m U-20 World Champion had Asia's fastest quarter-miler Yaser Salwa for company and the Indian smartly finished a close second, clocking 51.00s to the Bahrain champ's new Asian Games record time of 50.86s, and comfortably qualified for Sunday's final at the GBK Stadium.

Hima also broke the national record (51.05s set by Manjit Kaur) in the bargain even as she seemed to hold up her final sprint across the last 50m or so in a bid to not go all out just yet against her highly accomplished competitor. She didn't want to discuss her strategy.

"I cannot tell you if I slowed down or no towards the end. I will tell you tomorrow after the final," said a smiling Das, who has coloured her hair with streaks of golden brown. "It's just my style," she said about her hairdo. When asked about the possibility of winning a gold medal, she shot back: "I do not run after medals, I run after timings because if the timing is good then the medal will automatically come."

Meanwhile, India's top female sprinter Dutee Chand won her 100m heat, clocking 11.38s — the third fastest across all four heats — to qualify for the semi-finals. Both semi-finals and final of the woman's 100m event will be held on Sunday.

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