Salwa Naser winning the women’s 400m final.
Three new Championship Records and an outstanding performance by Bahrain athletes highlighted the opening day of 23rd Asian Athletics Championships that got off to electrifying start in Doha yesterday.
The Championship Records yesterday were shattered in the finals of women’s javelin throw, men’s pole vault and men’s discus throw as the top continental athletes enjoyed optimum conditions at the air-conditioned Khalifa International Stadium.
Bahrain athletes were at their best as they secured a total of 4 gold medals out of 8 finals held on the opening day. China secured a couple of gold while Philippines and Iran also got a gold medal each.
World Championships silver medalist Huihui Lyu set the first Championship Record of the day, winning the women’s javelin throw after clearing 65.83m to bag first gold medal for China in the four-day event. She broke record of her compatriot Li Lingwei, who set 63.06 in Bhubaneswar in 2015.
“It’s been a fantastic season for me so far. I am very happy to mark a new Championship Record,” said Lyu after winning the gold medal.
She hoped to come back to Doha and win a gold medal at this year’s IAAF World Championships.
“I believe I am ready to win the gold here in this marvelous stadium,” she said.
India’s Annu Rani (60.22) and Thailand’s Nachan Natta (56.01) secured silver and bronze medals respectively.
Filipino sensation Ernest Obeina broke the opening day’s second Championship Record, when he leaped to 5.71 to grab a gold medal in men’s pole vault. He overcame the 26-year-old record of Kazakhstan’s Grigoriy Yegorov, who set 5.70 in Manila in 1993.
“Winning here at the Asian Championships is just amazing,” said a jubilant Obeina.
“It’s awesome when the bar was raised at 5.71, I didn’t think of any record. I just concentrated and executed and that helped,” he said.
Chinese duo of Zhang Wei and Huang Bokai clinched silver and bronze medals with identical jumps of 5.66 respectively.
The third Championship Record yesterday was shattered by Iran’s Ehsan Hadadi, who excelled in men’s discus throw final, clearing 65.95 to improve his 2007 feat of 65.38. Hadadi was followed by his countryman Behnam Shrijabilou (60.89) and Jordan’s Musab Momani (58.27).
Meanwhile, China won their second gold medal when Gong Lijiao prevailed over her opponents in the women’s shot put final. She cleared a distance of 19.18, her Season Best to finish ahead of Bahrain’s Jassim Noora (18.00) and China’s Song Jiayuan (17.70).
Yavi Winfred claimed first gold medal for Bahrain yesterday after winning the women’s 5,000m final, crossing her Personal Best of 15:28.87. Bontu Rebitu, also from Bahrain, won silver medal while India’s Parul Chaudhary earned bronze medal.
The Gulf country sealed another gold medal when Salwa Naser topped in women’s 400m final with her Season Best time of 51.34. Elina Mikhina (KAZ) and Poovamma Raju (IND) claimed silver and bronze medals respectively.
The third medal of the opening day for Bahrain was brought by John Koech, who reigned supreme in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase with a world leading time of 8:25.87, followed by Avinash Mukund (IND) and Kazuya Shiojiri, who earned podium finish with times of 8:30.87 and 8:32.25 respectively.
“I made my move very early because I didn’t want my opponents to get a chance to challenge me. It’s just a beginning of the season so the time doesn’t matter for me,” said Koech.
Dawit Fikadu wrapped up sensational day for Bahrain by winning the men’s 10,000 race - the last final of the opening day. He clocked 28:26.30 – his Personal Best – to win the gold medal. The silver medal in the event also went to Bahrain, with Hassan Chani finishing second with a time of 28:3.30.
Earlier, India suffered a blow when sprint sensation Hima Das withdrew following a back muscle spasm during the 400m heat race in the morning session.
The 19-year-old world junior champion and national record holder did not finish heat number one, which was won by Nadeesha Ramanayaka of Sri Lanka.
“She had spasm at L4 and L5 (two lowest vertebrae in the lumbar spine). The doctor who attended her informed us and he said nothing serious. She will be OK within a day or two,” deputy chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair said in a statement.
