India’s second gold came in men’s 5000m through G Lakshmanan, who Lakshmanan triumphed with a time of 14:54.48. This meant both Manpreet and Lakshmanan secured automatic qualification for next month’s IAAF World Championships in London.

In men’s discus throw, Vikas Gowda surrendered his double Asian Championships crown to long-time nemesis and Olympic silver medalist Ehsan Haddadi of Iran, settling for a bronze medal. Gowda, who had won the last two Asian Athletics Championships titles and two silvers in the preceding editions, came up with his best of 60.81m in his fourth attempt, but eventual silver medalist Muhammad Irfan of Malaysia trumped his effort with his fifth throw of 60.96m. Haddadi, however, bested both of them with his final throw of 64.54m to add to his impressive medals tally.

National champions and local heroes Dutee Chand and Amiya Kumar Mallick also put their best feet forward by advancing into the semi-finals of the 100m sprint event in the evening session. Mallick qualified third from Heat 1 of the men’s 100m with a time of 10.48 seconds in the event that saw six heats, which also included Asian record holder in the 100m and 200m Femi SeunOgunode of Qatar, who strolled into the semis with a leisurely 10.29 seconds.

Both the men’s and women’s sprint events were riddled with false starts, but Dutee Chand set the pace in the women’s 100m in Heat 3, qualifying with the fastest time of 11.40 seconds. Her nearest competitor was Kazakhstan’s ViktoriyaZyabkina who finished with 11.50 seconds in Heat 1.

There was more to cheer for India in the evening session with India’s Sanjivani Jadhav finishing third in the women’s 5000m final, behind Daria Maslova of Kyrgyzstan and Alia Mohammad of UAE, who won gold and silver respectively.

The women’s long jump final saw V Neena take second place behind Vietnam’s Bui Thi Thu by a whisker, as they were tied at the top spot with both getting 6.54m. However, Bui Thi Thu’s second best effort was higher than Neena’s which broke the deadlock and gave the Vietnamese gold, as Neena settled for silver. Nayana James finished third with her effort of 6.42m.

The women’s javelin event saw India clinch a bronze medal with Annu Rani throwing a best of 57.32 in her very first attempt, but China’s Li Lingwei continued her success at Asian Championships by winning her second gold medal with a distance of 63.06m, to add to her first-place finish in Pune in 2013.

RESULTS:
MEN: Pole vault: 1. Ding Bangchao (China) 5.65m, 2. Masaki Ejima (Japan) 5.65m, 3. John Obiena Ernest Philippines) 5.50m. Discus throw: 1. Ehas Hadadi (Iran) 64.54m, 2. Irfan Muhammad (Malaysia) 60.96m, 3. Vikas Gowda (India) 60.81m. 5000m run: 1. G Lakshmanan (India) 14:54.48, 2. Yaser Salem (Qatar) 14:55.89, 3. Tariq Ahmed S (Saudi Arabia) 14:56.83.

WOMEN: Long jump: 1. Bui Thi Thu (Vietnam) 6.54m, 2. Neena V (India) 6.54m, 3. Nayana James (India) 6.42m. Shot put: 1. Manpreet Kaur (India) 18.28m, 2. Guo Tianqian (China) 17.91m, 3. Aya Ota (Japan) 15.45m. Javelin throw: 1. Li Lingwei (China) 63.06m*NMR, 2. Nadheesha Dilhani Lakamge (Sri Lanka) 58.11m, 3. Annu Rani (India) 57.32m. 5000m run: 1. Daria Maslova (Kyrghizstan) 15:57.95, 2. Alia Mohammed (UAE) 15:59.95, 3. Sanjivani Yadhav (India) 16:00.24.
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TOP: India’s Manpreet Kaur (centre) displays her shot put gold medal in Bhubaneswar on July 6, 2017.
RIGHT: India’s G Lakshmanan (centre) poses with his 5000m gold medal in Bhubaneswar on July 6, 2017.