India Shines at Asian Athletics Championships with Three Gold Medals
India's Golden Day at the Championships
On Thursday, India experienced a remarkable success at the Asian Athletics Championships held in Gumi, South Korea, where top athletes Jyothi Yarraji and Avinash Sable secured individual gold medals. Additionally, the women's 4x400m relay team showcased an impressive performance, contributing to a triumphant day for the nation.
India's dominance was evident as they clinched three gold medals at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships. Here’s a look at the medal winners and their respective events:
- Avinash Sable: Gold in Men's 3000m Steeplechase
Avinash Sable's Historic Win
Avinash Sable, who holds the national record, achieved victory in the men's 3000m steeplechase with a season-best time of 8:20.92 seconds. This win marked the end of a 36-year gold medal drought for India in this event at the Asian Championships, making him only the third Indian to win gold in men's steeplechase, following Harbel Singh in 1975 and Dina Ram in 1989.
"I was confident of winning gold as I was the best in the field," Sable stated, having already qualified for the World Championships set for September.
Jyothi Yarraji Breaks Championship Record
Shortly after, Jyothi Yarraji made a stunning late surge in the women's 100m hurdles, securing her second consecutive gold medal with a championship record of 12.96 seconds, breaking the previous record of 12.99 seconds set by China's Su Yiping in 2000.
"It was a good day. I am happy to break the 13-second barrier this season," Jyothi expressed after her victory.
Women's 4x400m Relay Team Triumphs
The women's 4x400m relay team, consisting of Jisna Mathew, Rupal Chaudhary, Kunja Rajitha, and Subha Venkatesan, added to India's medal tally with a remarkable gold medal performance. They clocked a season-best time of 3:34.18 seconds, finishing ahead of Vietnam (3:34.77 seconds) and Sri Lanka (3:36.67 seconds). This victory marked India's 10th overall gold in this event and their first since 2013.
Rupal celebrated her third medal of the championship, having previously won gold in the mixed team event and silver in the 400m. Subha also secured her second gold, having won in the mixed relay.
Men's Relay Team Secures Silver
In the men's 4x400m relay, the Indian team, featuring Jay Kumar, Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji, and Vishal TK, delivered an impressive performance, finishing with a time of 3:03.67 seconds to earn silver. Qatar narrowly claimed gold with a time of 3:03.52 seconds, while China took bronze at 3:03.73 seconds.
Mixed Results in Long Jump and Distance Events
India also secured silver and bronze in the women's long jump, with Anci Sojan Edapilly achieving 6.33m for silver and Shaili Singh landing at 6.30m for bronze. Both athletes fell short of their personal bests, with Shaili's performance possibly affected by a wet track. Iran's Reihaneh Mobini Arani won gold with a leap of 6.40m.
In the women's 10,000m final, Sanjeevani Jadhav finished fifth with a season-best time of 33:08.17 seconds, closely followed by Seema in sixth place at 33:08.23 seconds. Kazakhstan's Daisy Jepkemei dominated the race with an impressive time of 30:48.44 seconds.
India's Medal Count Reaches 14
With three gold, two silver, and one bronze medal on Thursday, India's overall medal tally rose to 14. They currently stand second in the overall rankings, trailing behind China, which leads with 21 medals, including 12 golds.
Looking ahead, Nandini Agasara is poised to enhance India's medal tally on Friday, leading the heptathlon standings after four events with a score of 3610. Another podium finish seems likely for the Indian team.