Distance runner Gulveer Singh, high jumper Pooja and Nandini Agasara in heptathlon win gold in their respective events on day-four of continental meet in South Korea. While Parul Chaudhary had to settle for silver in 3000m steeplechase
It was another exciting day for the Indian contingent at the Asian Athletics Championships in the South Korean city of Gumi on Friday. The day after winning three gold medals, the Indian team continued to excel on the track as well in the field event to add three gold medals on the penultimate day of the continental competition in South Korea. India’s medal tally swelled to 18 with eight gold medals, seven silver and three bronze.
One of the gold medals came in distance track race through star distance runner and Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallists, Gulveer Singh. The 26 years old Army runner sprinted home to add 5,000m gold to his kitty to become first Indian in the 26th Asian Championships to win two gold medals. He won 10,000m gold on the opening day. “My goal in Gumi was to win first position in both 5,000m and 10,000m. I’m happy to have achieved my target in the continental competition,” the gold medal winner said.
The battle for home run in the men’s 5,000m began with two laps to go. The leading group of three runners— including Singh, Kieran Tuntivate (Thailand) and Nagiya Mori (Japan) started jostling for the right position and were closely bunched together at the bell. Singh anticipation was better than his rivals and made the right move to surge ahead at the bell. He continued to shift gear to out sprint his rivals and crossed the finish line to win his second gold medal of the meet. Singh’s winning time 13:24.77 was better than the Asian Championships record of 13:34.47 set by Al Garni Mohamed of Qatar in 2015. “My next goal is to give my best at the Worlds in September in Japan,” he added.
Tuntivate was close second with a time of 13:24.97. While Mori was third (13:25.06). India’s Abhishek Pal finished sixth 13:33.51.
India’s Parul Chaudhary too had a good run in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase. She improved the national record to 9:12.96 but 30 years old runner from Uttar Pradesh had to be satisfied with a silver medal. “My race strategy was to stay with the leading runner (Norah Jeruto Tanui of Kazakhstan),” Parul said. “I tried my best but she surged ahead. But in the end I’m happy to have improved the national record.”
Away from the track races, India’s teenage high jumper Pooja hogged the spotlight with an outstanding performance in women’s high jump. The 18 years old Indian jumper cleared the bar at 1.89m to post a personal best and win India’s third gold of the day. She made an attempt to further raise the bar but wasn’t able to clear 1.92m in all three attempts. “It was good day for me as I’m among the champions at the senior continental level,” Pooja said.
India’s third gold came in the heptathlon through Nandini Agasara.
Indian contingent has bright chances to further enhance medal tally on the final day as several athletes have made it to the medals round in their respective events.
Nithya Gandhe (23.77 seconds) and Jyothi Yarraji (23.74 seconds) advanced to women’s 200m final. The women’s 400m hurdles qualification round saw both Vithya Ramraj (56.67 seconds) and Anu R (57.48 seconds) comfortably advancing to the medal round.
Middle distance runner Anu Kumar (1:47.00) and Krishan Kumar (1:48.66) made it to the finals in the men’s 800m.
Twinkle Chaudhary and Pooja too have qualified for the final of the women’s 800m.
Sprinter Animesh Kujur has advance to men’s 200m final.
The men’s javelin final schedule for last day will also be a big attraction as both Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh have qualified for the medal round today. Clubbed in Group B, Yadav’s best throw was 79.62m while Yashvir’s best throw in the qualification (Group A) was 76.67m.
Japan’s Yuta Sakiyana topped Group B with a throw of 81.36m. Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan dominated the field in Group A qualification round with a throw of 86.34m.
However, it was bad luck for the men’s 4x100m relay team as they were disqualified for baton exchange outside the zone.
Day 4 Results
Men: 5,000m Gulveer Singh (India) 13:24.77, Kieran Tuntivate (Thailand) 13:24.97, Nagiya Mori (Japan) 13:25.06, Abhishek Pal (India 6th) 13:33.51.
Women: 3000m steeplechase: Norah Jeruto Tanui (Kazakhstan) 9:10.46, Parul Chaudhary (India) 9:12.46 (NR), Daisy Jepkemei (Kazakhstan), Ankita (India 5th) 9:41.54.
High jump; Pooja (India) 1.89m, Safina Sadullaeva (Uzbekistan) 1.86m, Yelizaveta Matveyeva (Kazakhstan) 1.86m.
Heptathlon: Nandini Agasara (India) 5941 points, Liu Jingyi Chin (China) 5869 points, Cai Juan Chen (Taipei) 5608 points.
