Indian athletes picked up one silver and three bronze on the second day of athletics competitions at the Asian Games.
Woman race walker Khushbir Kaur clinched the silver medal in the 20 km walk before 400m runners Rajiv Arokia and M R Poovamma grabbed a bronze each in men’s and women’s 400m race while Manju Bala secured a bronze in women’s hammer throw to add to the growing medal tally from track and field events.
Cheers were brought to the contingent when 20 km race walker Khushbir timed her race to perfection to clinch the women’s bronze medal having clocked 1 hour and 33.07 seconds to take the second spot behind China’s lu Xiuzhi (1:21.52), who led from the start, and ahead of Jeon Yeonguen (1:33.18).
Khushbir scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in race walk in the Asian Games, was cautioned twice during the race but kept on walking.
“I led the field and then was cautioned and pushed to second place. I got cautioned again between 16 and 18 kms and was pushed to third place, before I decided to go for the gold. I could not do so,” said Khushbir.
Karnataka’s seasoned Poovamma made up for a slow start and got into medal contention on the back straight before settling for the bronze in 52.36, well below her personal best of 51.73.
The gold was won O M Adekaya in a fast 51.59 while Vietnam’s Quach Thi lan picked up the silver in 52.06, her personal best. Poovamma’s medal was expected, but not that won by Arokia Rajiv, the army runner belonging to
Madras Regiment and based in Wellington, Ooty.
The Tamil Nadu runner, who had won his semifinal heat yesterday, clocked a personal best time of 45.92 (his previous best being 46.13) and held off Japan’s Yuzo Kanemaru’s challenge for the bronze medal.
“I never expected a medal. I was aiming for 4th or 5th place. I am extremely happy,” said the athlete who had started as a long jumper before his coach made him a 800m runner first after seeing his endurance and then into a one-lapper after seeing his speed.
Poovamma dedicated her medal to her mother Raji. “I knew I cannot win the gold as the Bahrain runner is very good but thought I could get the silver or bronze,” said Poovamma.
Manju Bala provided India with another Bronze medal when she finished third in the women’s hammer throw with a best heave of 60.47m which she did in her opening attempt.
She committed a foul off her next throw and was never in rhythm later as she threw two 60-plus throws interspersed in between with two very modest efforts of 57.80 and 57.19. The medal ceremony of the women’s 3000m steeplechase, postponed from Saturday after the winner from Bahrain was declared to have been disqualified, was held on Sunday.
The 17-year-old Kenya-born Jebet was reinstated a day after being led away in tears from the medal ceremony where it had been announced that she stood disqualified for stepping inside the track.
Her disqualification, had it stayed, would have given the Indian medal tally a boost as bronze-winner lalita Babar and fourth-placed Sudha Singh would have been upgraded but that was not to be.