India wrapped up a memorable campaign at the Asian Athletics Championships, securing overall second place with a total of 24 medals in Gumi, South Korea on Saturday. Promising javelin thrower Sachin Yadav, steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary and the women’s 4x100m relay team provided a ‘silver’ lining with strong performances on the final day of the continental meet.
However, what would have pleased those following Indian athletics most on Saturday, was the sprint medal won by 21-year-old Animesh Kujur. Considered to be India’s fastest man, Kujur ran a sensational race to break his own national record of 20.40s to take the bronze medal in the men’s 200m event. He clocked an impressive 20.32s.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Pooja also made it to the podium in the women’s 800m final, registering a personal best timing of 2:01.89s. Asian Games medallist Vithya Ramraj claimed the third spot in the women’s 400m hurdles. India finished with eight gold, 10 silver and six bronze medals. China led the medal standings with a total of 32 medals, including 19 gold. India bettered its gold tally, moving up from six at the previous edition in 2023 and was one gold behind its best-ever – nine gold medals in the 2017 edition.
Animesh creates history
Kujur became only the second Indian man to win a 200m medal at the continental level. Dharambir Singh had won India’s first medal in men’s 200m, a bronze (20.45s) at the 2015 Asian championships. “I’ll always cherish this medal. To win even a bronze at the Asian level is huge, so I am very happy. Good curve running enabled me to earn a medal,” Kujur said. Japan’s Towa Uzawa claimed the gold (20.12s) and Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz Abdul Atafi took silver (20.31s).
Martin Owens, Kujur’s coach at Odisha Reliance Foundation, had said on Friday that he just wanted his ward “to step off that track with no regrets”. There was just immense happiness at the end of it all. And it just the beginning for this young sprinter.
Sachin shines on debut
With his massive frame, standing at 6’ 5”, Uttar Pradesh’s Sachin Yadav made an impressive senior debut at the international level, winning a sensational silver with a personal best throw of 85.16m in the men’s javelin throw final. Hailing from Khekra village in Baghpat, Sachin had a previous PB of 84.39m. As expected, reigning Olympic champion, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with a best effort of 86.40m. Nadeem had won gold at the Paris Games last year with an Olympic record of 92.97m. Another Indian in the fray, Yashvir Singh, impressed with a personal best throw of 82.57m to finish fifth. “I wasn’t worried about competing against a big name like Nadeem. I was looking to achieve my personal best and throw the spear as far as possible. The conditions were tricky, and the wind factor played its part.
“I missed vital training sessions due to ankle and shoulder niggles which hampered my preparation for the meet,” Sachin later said.
Back-to-back silver for Parul
In the women’s 5,000m, Parul Chaudhary won a silver in a national record timing of 15:15.33s. She had previously finished second in the 3,000m steeplechase. In the final, Parul was slow off the blocks and lay third at the end of the first lap. She picked up the pace to surge past her rivals and then overtook Japan’s eventual bronze medallist Yuma Yamamoto (15:16.86s) in the final lap to finish on a strong note. Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto Tanui claimed gold (14:58.71s).
Women’s 4x100m relay team on podium
The Indian quartet of Srabani Nanda, Abhinaya Rajarajan, Sneha SS and Nithya Gandhe started off strongly in the third lane, closer to the inside track. India always looked in contention for a medal finish, though China proved a tough competitor. The team clocked 43.86 behind China, who completed the relay in 43.28. Thailand settled for bronze in 44.26.
Pooja, Vithya settle for bronze
In the women’s 800m final, Pooja claimed bronze with a personal best timing of 2:01.89s. She ran the race in lane five. Her teammate, Twinkle Chaudhary – in lane seven – challenged her teammate for the third-place finish but had to contend with a fourth position.
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Vithya Ramraj clocked 56.46s to finish with a bronze, behind China’s Mo Jiadie, who clinched gold in 55.31s, edging out Bahrain’s Oluwakemi Adekoya.
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