Up and coming track and field star Inderjeet Singh bagged a gold medal in men’s shot put event as India opened the medal account on the first day of the 21st Asian Athletics Championships here today.
Inderjeet, a silver medallist in 2013 World University Games and a bronze medal winner in last year’s Asian Games in Incheon, clinched the gold by heaving the iron ball to a new championship record of 20.41m, which he achieved in his fourth attempt.
Chang Ming-Huang of Chinese Taipei won the silver with a throw of 19.56m, while Tian Zizhong of the home country bagged the bronze with an effort of 19.25m.
Inderjeet went into the championships as Asian leader in the season so far with his 20.65m effort and after winning gold in the Federation Cup Senior Nationals in Mangaluru last month. He lived up to the expectations by bagging the yellow metal in the showpiece event.
The 27-year-old left-handed Haryana shot putter, who has already qualified for next year’s Rio Olympic Games, thus became only the eighth Indian shot putter to win a gold medal in the history of Asian championships, joining Jagraj Singh (1973), Bahadur Singh (1975), Balwinder Singh (1985 and 1989), Shakti Singh (2000), Navpreet Singh (2007) and Om Prakash Singh Karhana (2009).
“I could have come up with a 21-plus throw had the temperature been ideal. In Incheon Asian Games also my throw was less than what I could have done. My throw was less here also. But I have won gold for the country and I am proud of it,” Inderjeet, who had finished fourth in the last edition in Pune in 2013, said after winning the gold.
In the other finals of the day, woman long jumper Mayookha Johny finished sixth with a 6.24m effort, while Gayathry Govindharajan ended at seventh position.
Kalmadi conferred Scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi has been conferred with the Asian Athletics Association President’s award for his contribution towards the development of athletics in the continent at the AAA Gala Dinner and award ceremony here.
Kalmadi, who was jailed and later released on bail in connection with the 2010 Commonwealth Games scam, served as president of AAA for 13 years from 2000 to 2013 and was also credited with the introduction of top events like Asian Grand Prix series, Asian Indoor Championships and Asian All Star Meet, besides other competitions.