Nagoya: Gulveer Singh won his second silver of the ongoing Asian Games, while long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and javelin thrower Yashvir Singh also finished second in their respective events, capping India’s six-medal haul on the penultimate day of the athletics competition on Monday.
Vithya Ramraj clinched a bronze in the 400m hurdles, adding to her medal of same colour from the last edition, and shattering the legendary PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record in the process.
Rohit Yadav won his first major medal with a bronze in India’s 2-3 finish in the men’s javelin thrown event. Parul Chaudhary, however, could not defend her gold in the women’s 5000m event, settling for a bronze at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, which was soaked with rain for the third day on the trot.
It was a record medal haul day for India, but the wait for gold continues with just a day left in the competition.
Misfortune struck Sreeshankar, who had also won a silver in the last edition, as he hurt his ankle in his fourth jump and did not take the last two attempts. His second round jump of 8.07m was, however, enough for him to win silver.
Shi Yuhao of China won the gold with a jump of 8.17m while Uzbekistan’s Anvar Anvarov claimed the bronze with an effort of 8.06m.
Gulveer, meanwhile, kept on adding medals in his cabinet with a silver in the men’s 1500m with a personal best effort of 3:36.72. He had already won a silver in the 10,000m in the ongoing edition.
Kazuto Iizawa (3:36.35) of Japan won gold while compatriot Nagiya Mori won the bronze with an effort of 3:37.92.
“This is a very important medal in my career. I have no problem in running as many events and want to win medals in them. I could not maintain my final kick speed till the end as I am normally a long distance runner, running mainly 5000m and 1000m,” the 28-year-old from Uttar Pradesh said.
India won two medals in the men’s javelin event through Yasvir (85.72m) and Rohit (84.35m), strengthening the country’s deep reserve in the event, though the gold expectedly went to Rumesh Pathirage (88.55m) of Sri Lanka, who has been almost unbeaten this season.
“It was difficult in the weather conditions (wet run up and incessant drizzling). I could not get proper grip, it was a little slippery. There is fear of getting injured,” Yashvir, who produced his personal best, said later.
“But I was able to bring out my personal best, so I am happy,” said Yashvir who was brought in as replacement for superstar Neeraj Chopra who pulled out due to injury.
The Indian athletics contingent have so far won 19 medals at the ongoing Games.
Yashvir led at the end of the second round with his first attempt of 83.56m but Rohit overtook him in the third round with 84.35m. At that point, Pathirage was third with Rohit and Yashvir first and second respectively.
The Sri Lankan Diamond League champion, who had recorded three 90m-plus throws this season, then sent his spear to 88.33m in his fourth attempt to take the lead and increased it to 88.55m in his final try, which sealed the issue.
Reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan produced a season-best effort of 80.29m to finish fourth.
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Vithya clocked 54.75 seconds to break a more than four-decade-old earlier national record of 55.42 second which has been in the name of the legendary Usha — set during the 1984 Olympics — and win a second medal at the ongoing Asian Games. She was a part of the silver-winning 4x400m mixed relay team.
The 28-year-old from Coimbatore finished behind UAE’s Mariam Kareem, who won gold with a Games record 54.31 seconds, and Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems, who took silver with a personal best of 54.58 seconds.
Usha is currently heading the Indian Olympic Association and she was in attendance at the stadium.
“Medal is in our hands, but time is not. This race will not come tomorrow or yesterday. Today is our day, so I was going for the timing, not the medal,” Ramraj said after the race.
“My coach said we would go 54 seconds. I did it, and I am so happy. The timing was so good, so I am very happy.
“Everyone has been asking me because I had not gone under 55 seconds for three years. My coach Nehpal Singh Rathore told me to go fast, then maintain it through the sixth hurdle. From the sixth hurdle to the finish line, it was all out.”
Later, an injury-ravaged Avinash Sable produced a season’s best effort but could not defend his gold medal in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, finishing fourth with a time of 8 minute and 21.67 sceonds.
In the women’s 500m, Chaudhary clocked 15:14.61 to finish third behind gold medallist Winfred Yavi of Bahrain (15:10.18) and silver medallist Nozomi Tanaka of Japan (15:11.65).
It was the 31-year-old Chaudhary’s second medal of the Games, following her bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase on Sunday. She had won gold in the event at Hangzhou in 2023.
Seema, who had won a bronze in the women’s 10,000m, finished sixth after clocking 15:35.06.
In men’s 400m hurdles final, Santosh Kumar Tamilarasan clocked 49.95s to finish seventh in the eight-man field.
Earlier, Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Seema Kaliramna’s personal best effort was not enough as she finished fourth in the women’s discus throw final.
Seema produced an effort of 59.88m in her fifth attempt, but that was not enough as all three podium finishers had best throws in excess of 60m.
