CHENNAI: CLINCHING gold seemed to be the goal for Indian athletes at the Asian Athletics Championship and the delay in proceedings due to heavy rain in Gumi didn't deter them either. Day Three of the Asian meet will remain as a good memory for hurdler Jyoti Yarraji, steeplechaser Avinash Sable and the women's 4x400m relay team after they won gold in their events on Thursday.
With five gold, six silver and three bronze medals, India are back on the top-two of the overall medal table. Coming in as the defending champion, women hurdler and national record holder Jyoti Yarraji did not want to lose her coveted spot. Her eight-stepped run to the first hurdle seemed slow. But she progressively gained pace amidst the close battle between China's Wu Yanni and Japan's Yumi Tanaka. Yarraji plunged towards the finish line leaving her competitors behind just after the final hurdle. The 25-year old couldn't have expected more. This run of 12.96s, a championship record, has boosted her confidence leading up to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Yarraji felt that she could match her personal best of 12.78s on Thursday. However, the cold conditions late at night in Gumi made it difficult. "I had a good start, I focused on getting my timing below 13s, and I am elated to defend my gold medal," she told this daily from Gumi. Her gains after every hurdle was key in her burst in pace after the final hurdle. "The frequency after the first hurdle helped me build pace," she added. The level of competition in this edition, Jyoti felt has improved from the previous edition where she won gold with a timing of 13.09s. "The run happened as per my visualisation and I'm thankful it had come out perfectly," Jyoti signed off.
Meanwhile, national record holder in 3000m steeplechase Avinash Sable looked comfortable form start to finish. He also recorded his season best of 8.20:92s, slower by his standards. He became the first Indian since Deena Ram in 1989 to win gold in this discipline at the Asian level.
The women's 4x400m relay team clinched gold. The quartet of Jishna Mathew, Rupal Chaudhary, Kunja Rajitha and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3:34.19s. A gold in this discipline for India comes after 12 years and a big relief to the Indian team after one of the team-members was forced to drop out just days before the team's departure for Gumi.
Women long jumpers show
Up and coming long jumper Shaili Singh (6.30 metres) finished third behind compatriot Ancy Sojan (6.33 metres). Shaili's coach Robert Bobby George was just about ok with the effort. “It’s good to be among the medals,” he said from Gumi. However, the coach was expecting a better jump. Yes, conditions did not seem ideal with a few postponements due to rain but he still felt Shaili could have jumped 6.60m. “It is very cold and the conditions were not ideal but still I thought she could have jumped 6.60m. We will now focus on our next competition in Taiwan (Taiwan Athletics Open on June 7 and 8).” Iran's Reihaneh Mobini took the gold medal, with a 6.40m leap.
The men's 4x400 metre relay team took the silver medal (3:03.67s), finishing behind Qatar (3:03.52s) by one-tenths of a second. Quartet of Jay Kumar, Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji and Vishal TK put up a good show.
High jumper Sarvesh Kushare, who won silver in the 2023 edition failed to finish in the podium positions.
Results: Men's 3000m steeplechase: Avinash Sable (India) 8:20.92, Yutaro Niinae (Japan) 8:24.41, Zakaria Elahlaami (Qatar) 8:27.12 Men's Shot Put: Mohammadreza Tayebi Seif Koti (Iran) 20.32m, Xing Jailiang (China) 19.97m, Mohammed D Tolu (Saudi Arabia) 19.92m. Samardeep Singh Gill (India) 6th 19.25m
Men's 4x400m relay: Qatar: 3:03.52s, India (Jay Kumar, Dharamveer Choudhary, Manu TS, Vishal TK) 3:03.67s, China: 3:03.73s
Women's Long jump: Reihaneh Mobini Arani (Iran) 6.40m, Ancy Sojan (India) 6.33m, Shaili Singh (India) 6.30m
Women's 100m hurdles: Jyoti Yarraji (India) 12.97 seconds, Yumi Tanaka (Japan) 13.07 seconds, Wu Yanni (China) 13.07 seconds.
Heptathlon (Points): Nandini Agasara (India) - 3,610 points, Liu Jingyi (China) - 3,412 points, Cai Juan Chen (Chinese Taipei) - 3,410 point
