Indian Athletes Shine at 26th Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi

India's Impressive Performance at the Championships

In Gumi, South Korea, Indian athletes showcased their talent on the final day of the 26th Asian Athletics Championships, concluding the event with a total of 24 medals, securing second place overall, just behind China.

The medal haul included eight golds, ten silvers, and six bronzes. China led the medal tally with 26 medals, comprising 15 golds, eight silvers, and three bronzes, as reported by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

Japan finished third with a total of 24 medals, four of which were gold.

The spotlight on the last day was on the men's javelin throw, where Sachin Yadav, making his international debut, achieved a personal best of 85.16m, earning a silver medal, while Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem took gold with a throw of 86.40m.

Reflecting on his performance, Yadav acknowledged that he fell short of the automatic qualification mark of 85.50m for the upcoming Tokyo World Athletics Championships, but viewed the Asian Championships as a valuable learning opportunity. He expressed his intent to strategize for future competitions.

Yadav mentioned, "I missed crucial training sessions due to ankle and shoulder issues, which affected my preparation. I aim to regain my form in the coming weeks to qualify for the World Championships in my next event."

He emphasized his focus on personal performance rather than competitors' results during his first international competition.

Animesh Kujur also made headlines by winning bronze in the men's 200m, clocking 20.32 seconds, which surpassed his previous national record of 20.40 seconds set earlier this year in Kochi. Despite a false start by a Chinese sprinter, Kujur maintained his composure to secure a medal.

The Indian women's 4x100m relay team, consisting of Srabani Nanda, SS Sneha, Abhinaya Rajarajan, and Nithya Gandhe, finished second with a time of 43.86 seconds, earning a silver medal, while China claimed gold and Thailand took bronze.

Parul Chaudhary added another silver to her collection in the women's 5000m, following her earlier silver in the 3000m steeplechase. Additionally, Pooja secured a bronze in the 800m, having previously won silver in the 1500m.

Vithya Ramraj also contributed to India's medal tally with a bronze in the women's 400m hurdles, finishing in 56.46 seconds. However, Jyothi Yarraji and Nithya Gandhe did not medal in the women's 200m event.

The results for Day 5 included notable performances across various events, showcasing the competitive spirit of the athletes.