New Delhi, May 26: For star sprinter, Hima Das, the two months of coronavirus-forced national lockdown was not all about confinement inside her room at NIS-Patiala as she improved her cooking and painting skills besides doing yoga.
All the track and field campers at the NIS were forced to remain indoors since mid-March only to be given the go-ahead to train outdoors from Monday (May 26), with focus on fitness without specialised-event training initially.
"Learnt a lot of things during the lockdown like improved my cooking and painting. Did a lot of meditation and yoga. It's a global lockdown and this was done for our safety," Hima wrote on her Twitter handle. Asked if she developed a new skill during the lockdown, she said "cooking".
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"I do Yoga, indoor fitness and meditation daily," she added. The 20-year-old world junior quarter-mile race champion was replying to a Q&A session on Twitter. She said she usually trained for six hours a day.
During this lockdown i have spent time doing Yoga and other exercises suggested by coaches to keep myself fit. Meditation is also a part of my routine which is really helping me alot to stay positive. https://t.co/5jv4nac8PU
— Hima MON JAI (@HimaDas8) May 26, 2020
Asked how long it will take to find her old rhythm and speed, Hima said, "Since we were out of action for almost 2 months, so I am sure it will take time and also it depends on how our coaches plan training regimes."
She said the International Olympic Committee had taken the decision to postpone the Tokyo Games to next year by considering the health of all athletes. Hima also said cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar is her biggest inspiration and her "dream is to win gold in Olympics".
She said she gave her first salary to her father as she "reached at this stage because of him". Talking about the challenges of an athlete, she said, "Ups and downs are always part of an athlete's career. I believe life is all about making a comeback and working towards your goals.
"Facing challenges in life always makes you strong. "As an athlete, it is very important to stay focussed towards your goals and keep working hard. Definitely, the goal is to win the Olympic medal."
(With PTI inputs)