China surged forward while India gave determined chase, each securing three gold medals on Day 4 of the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. The competition also marked an inspiring moment for athletics in Asia, as nations like Malaysia celebrated breakthrough performances, with the country clinching its first medal at this year’s championships.
China’s Wins In Long Jump, Discus, Shot Put
For China, the non-track events proved particularly fruitful. In the men's long jump, Shu Heng soared to a gold-winning distance of 8.22m, edging out Taipei's Yu Tang Lin (8.20m) and Japan's Keito Yamaura (8.08m). Meanwhile, Ma Yue dominated the women's shot put with a commanding throw of 18.26m, securing gold ahead of teammate Song Jiayuan (17.78m), who claimed silver, and Taipei’s Ching Yuan Chiang (17.42m), who took bronze. The men’s discus saw another Chinese triumph, as Abuduaini Tuergong launched his discus 63.47m to victory, surpassing Japan’s Masateru Yugami (60.38m) and Malaysia’s Muhammad Irfan Shamshuddin (58.82m). For Shamshuddin, this bronze, being its first medal here, carried added significance.
India’s Wins In High Jump, Heptathlon, 5000m
India found glory with standout performances in multiple disciplines. Pooja Pooja soared to gold in the women's high jump with a leap of 1.89m, while Uzbekistan's Sana Sadullaeva (1.86m) and Kazakhstan’s Yelizaveta Matveyeva (1.86m) both won silver. Nandini Agasara emerged victorious in the heptathlon, amassing 5,941 points to clinch gold, ahead of China’s Liu Jingyi (5,869 points) and Taipei’s Cai Juan Chen (5,608 points). In the thrilling men's 5000m final, Gulveer Singh outpaced his rivals in a closely contested race, finishing in 13:24.77 -just ahead of Thailand’s Kieran Tuntivate (13:24.97) and Japan’s Nagiya Mori (13:25.06). Another Japanese runner, Keita Satoh (13:26.77), put up a valiant fight but narrowly missed out on a medal. For Tuntivate, the silver medal was particularly momentous, as Thailand, traditionally known for sprinting prowess, celebrated success in distance running.
Gold For Kazakhstan In Steeplechase
Kazakhstan also made its presence felt on Day 4, particularly in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Norah Jeruto Tanui (9:10.46) surged ahead to take gold while Daisy Jepkemei (9:27.51) secured bronze. Splitting the Kazakh duo was India’s Parul Chaudhary (9:12.46), who claimed silver with a strong finish.
Grand Finale
As the championships approach their grand finale on Saturday, anticipation builds for a dramatic conclusion. The men’s 800m is expected to be a gripping contest featuring Japan’s Ko Ochiai, Iran’s Ali Amirian, and Qatar’s Abubaker Haydar Abdalla - all aware that surprises may lie in wait. In the women’s 800m, Japan’s Rin Kubo and India’s Pooja Pooja look formidable though other athletes could disrupt their dominance.
The men’s 400m hurdles promise a fierce battle, with finalists like Taipei’s Chung Wei Lin, Japan’s Shunta Inoue and Qatar’s Abderrahman Almoubarrake Samba Alsaleck all aiming for glory. Meanwhile, in the men’s javelin, Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem appears poised to assert his supremacy.
High Stakes Finals
With high-stakes finals across other events (men’s and women’s 200m, women’s 400m hurdles, men’s pole vault, women’s 5000m and the two 4x100m relays), the Asian Athletics Championships are set to conclude in thrilling fashion, ensuring a spectacle befitting the region’s finest athletes.
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