Kobe: Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh settled for a silver while Tintu Luka and Ghamanda Ram won a bronze each on the final day as India finished eighth in the Asian Athletics Championships with 11 medals here Sunday.
Sudha, who was bidding to become the first woman to win both Asian Games and Asian Championships, clocked 10:08.52 seconds, in 3000m steeplechase. This was well below her national record timing of 10:10.77, which she clocked at Guangzhou last year.
The 38-year-old Minori Hayakari of Japan won gold with a new championship record timing of 9:52.42. Thi Phuong Nguyen of Vietnam took bronze in 10:14.94.
It was yet again a case of Luka failing to win gold in a big international event as she finished third in 800m race with a timing of 2:02.55, well below her national record timing of 1:59.17 which she set last year.
Luka, who had won a bronze in Asian Games, made a strong challenge to eventual gold and silver winners Thanh Hang Truong (2:01.41) of Vietnam and Margarita Matsko (2:02.46) of Kazakhstan towards the end but that was not enough.
Ghamanda Ram gave India a bronze in men’s 800m as he finally managed to live up to his potential of being among the best in Asia by winning his maiden Asian Championship medal with a personal best timing of 1:46.36. He missed an Olympic berth by just 0.16 seconds. The second Indian runner in the event, Sajeesh Joseph finished fifth at 1:48.56.
Mohamed Al-Azimi of Kuwait won the gold in 1:46.15 to become the only athlete to win both 800 and 1500m at the same Asian Championship. He beat defending champion Sajad Moradi of Iran, who finished second with 1:46.35.
With the silver and two bronze Sunday, India took their medal haul to 11 (one gold, two silver and eight bronze) in the four-day meet, which equalled the tally of last edition, held at Guangzhou two years ago, when the country won one gold, three silver and seven bronze.
With the likes of Ashwini Ajkkunji, Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose caught for doping, India faced the ignominy of failing to finish at the podium in women’s 4x400m relay.
The second string quartet of Mrudula Korada, Jhuma Khatun, P Jaisha and Luka finished fourth and last with a timing of 3:44.17 in an event which India has been the leader for some years at the continental level. A strong Japanese team annexed the gold in 3:35.00.
The men’s 4x100m relay quartet of Ritesh Anand, Krishnakumar Rane, Shameer Mon and Rahamatulla Molla also finished eighth and last in 40.38. Japan won the gold in 39.18.
Japan topped the medals tally with 11 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze, pushing Asian sports powerhouse China to second spot (10-12-5). Bahrain was third with five gold, two silver and two bronze.
