Reports: Hima Das to miss Asian Games due to injury

The 23-year-old sprinter won three medals, including a gold, in the last edition of the continental event.

Asian Games 2018 silver medallist and star sprinter Hima Das will miss the forthcoming Asian Games in China due to a hamstring injury sustained in April, Indian Athletics chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair confirmed a day ahead of the Inter State Athletics Championships 2023, which begins on Thursday (June 15) at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

She had also missed the Federation Cup in May and is now set to miss the all-important Inter State Athletics Championships as well due to injury. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) earmarked the National Inter State Championship as the final selection event for the Asian Games and also made it mandatory for all athletes, except for those granted exemption, to participate to be considered for selection to the Asian Games squad.

Now with Hima Das yet to fully recover from the injury, she will be unable to compete in the Championships that begin on Thursday. Neeraj Chopra and Avinash Sable are the only two athletes given exemption from participating in the five-day event based on their recent performances and on merit.

"It is unfortunate she was injured a day before the Indian Grand Prix IV in Bengaluru (on April 15th). She pulled a hamstring and also had a back problem. Now a medical investigation is going on and planning for the treatment. I believe that she will not be able to participate in the Asian Games as per the policy of AFI," Nair was quoted as saying by PTI.

Das set the National Record in women's 400m at the 2018 edition of the Asian Games en route to a maiden silver. She was also part of the women's 4x400m relay team that clinched gold at the continental event and the silver-winning mixed 4x400m relay team in Jakarta.

Neeraj Chopra starts training

The Indian Athletics chief coach also confirmed that reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has started training after withdrawing from two consecutive competitions following an injury. However, he hasn't recovered completely. Chopra, 24, missed the FBK Games (June 4) and the Paavo Nurmi Games (June 13) in the lead up to the World Championships and Asian Games. Avinash Sable on the other hand is currently practicing in the USA.

The Indian athletics contingent will have their task cut out at the National Inter State Championships 2023 and in a few days' time, the majority of them will have to travel to Pattaya, Thailand for the Asian Athletics Championships 2023. The World Athletics Championships is scheduled in August followed by the Asian Games in September.