Hima Das, the Dhing Express for Assam and World Under-20 champion in the 400 meters, hasbeen diagnosed with Spondylitis of the lumbar vertebrae or lower back and this has jeopardized herparticipation in the World relays to be held on May 13 at Yokohama, Japan.
According to the team official, the painful condition of Spondylitis willrequire her to go through a period of rest and rehabilitation complemented bymedication.
Hima had started training on May 5 with the rest of the 400 meterssquad currently based in Yokohama for the world relays to be held on Monday buther participation is highly unlikely.
If Hima is unable to run in the world relays, then it would be the second consecutive competitionin which she would have not completed a race.
This back problemactually surfaced at the Asian Athletics Championships held last month in Doha,where she pulled out after getting off the blocks in the 400-metre heats. Theback spasm ruled her out of the women's 4×400 meter relay and the mixed relayat the Asian event.
Hima consulted a specialist in Doha who came up with thediagnosis of Spondylitis in her lower vertebrae. This means her dream of participatingin Tokyo Olympic will be in serious jeopardy.
"Hima Das has started training with the relay squad earlierthis week. She will need to do some exercises and will also need some rest andrehabilitation as part of her recovery. Her progress is being monitoredcarefully," deputy chief national coach Radhakrishnan Nair said.
However Hima islikely to travel with the 400 metre batch of athletes to Spala, Poland, for anoverseas camp where she will continue with her rehabilitation.
India has fielded the men and women relay teams for theevent and a combined team will also participate in the mixed relays. The WorldRelays is an important event in terms of qualification for the WorldChampionships in September-October and next year's Olympic Games.
In late February she had taken a few weeks off to preparefor her Class XII examinations. She participated in the third leg of the IndianGrand Prix at Sangrur but finished fourth with a timing of 55.19 seconds, wayoff her personal best and national record of 50.79.
At the Federation Cup, in mid-March, the selection trial forthe Asian championships, Hima won gold with a timing of 52.88 seconds but fellon the track and clutched her back in pain at the end of the race.
