Asian Championships, Day Three

Incheon, KoreaThe Chinese showed no letup in their medal hunt as they took four of the seven gold medals on offer on the third and penultimate day of the 16th Asian Championships at the Munhak Stadium here today.

No stopping China

The gold medal haul on Saturday included one from Bai Xue, who won the women’s 5000m to complete the distance double that placed her in the company of her illustrious compatriots Wang Junxia (1995) and Sun Yingjie (2003) as well as North Korean Ham Pong Sil who scored in 2002.

The anticipated Chinese gold collection could have come unstuck had not the Javelin thrower Li Rongxiang pulled off a last-gasp 78.28m throw  to edge Korean Jung Sang Jin. It was a magnificent performance under pressure.

The other Chinese gold medals came through triple jumper Gu Junjie and women’s Hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu.

Two golds for Japan and an Indian one - two

Japan took two title, through one-lap specialist Yuzo Kanemaru and pole-vaulter Daichi Sawano. In full flight, as he attempted to clear 5.60 metres for one last time, Sawano had his pole crack in two, sending him down with a thud. Moments later, he was holding his left wrist that had to be put in plaster. But he already had the gold at 5.40m.

India had a one-two sweep in the women’s 400 metres through Manjeet Kaur and Satti Geetha. The Indians, hot favourites for the 4 x 400m relay tomorrow, asserted their class in an event in which the country has had a great tradition since the days of P. T. Usha.

5000m victory completes distance double

Bai Xue too must have recalled the Chinese long distance running tradition as she churned out yet another gold, shaking off a persistent Korean, Lee Eun Jung through the last three laps. Needless to mention, the Korean had the full-throated backing of thousands of schoolchildren as she went in search of the host’s first gold medal in these championships.

That could not be achieved since Bai Xue was in no mood to relent. The Chinese girl had taken over with five laps left, having kept pace with the leading bunch that included Japanese Yumi Sato and Kayo Sugihara and her Chinese team-mate, Chen Xiaofang.

The Japanese were left behind with two laps to go, but made an attempt to come back only to eventually lag even further behind. The Korean, however, kept up her chase, coming shoulder to shoulder with Bai Xue with 200 metres left to the finish and ultimately only giving up with about 80 metres to go. The Chinese girl’s sprint finish proved too good.

Third Javelin title

Li Rongxiang’s third javelin title on the trot came after much suspense. The 33-year-old Chinese found it hard to strike a rhythm to begin with and once Korean Jung Sang Jin went ahead in the third round with a 76.85, everyone else struggled. Li seemed to have found the right height as he released the spear in his fifth throw, but it measured only 76.03.

The last round then, and Li had to stake everything in a throw that sank Korean hearts as it soared high and came down well beyond what others had managed till then. It was measured 78.28 metres and the man who had also won the Busan Asian Games gold, heaved a sigh of relief only after Jung Sang Jin threw his last that was only 73.08. The Korean had had two fouls and passed his fifth.

India’s Jagdish Kumar Bishnoi, a champion in 2000, was rather lucky to hold onto his third position with a 74.83. There were five others with marks over 74 metres with Iranian Ayoub Arakhi just six centimetres behind.

Surprise 400m gold for Japan

Kanemaru won a surprise gold medal for Japan in the men’s 400 metres in a time of 46.04, which was the slowest winning time for the event since 1983. The bigger surprise was Saudi Arabian Hamdhan Odha Al-Bishi not even making the medals. Sri Lankans Prasanna Amarasekara and Rohan Pradeep Kumara took the silver and bronze, while Al-Bishi came fourth, in 46.55.

Triple Jump reverse of fortunes

China’s Gu Junjie had his revenge. As an 18-year-old he was finding his feet in senior company when Japanese Kazuyoshi Izikawa beat him to the gold in Manila two years ago. Now, more matured and experienced, and top of the Area lists last year with 17.23m, an Asian junior record, the Chinese today dethroned the champion. But only just. He had a 16.90 in the third round, passed the fourth and fouled the last two and saw the Japanese come just two centimetres away from his winning mark on the last jump. Just four centimetres had separated Izikawa from the young Chinese last time, 16.72 to 16.68. Korean Kim Duk Hyun had a last-round 16.78 for the bronze in what was a super contest.

One Chinese champion for another

Three-time women’s Hammer champion Gu Yuan was also dethroned. Cmpatriot Zhang Wenxiu, who had set an Asian record of 73.24 in the National Campionships in June, threw 70.05 in the opening round and that was sufficient to get her the gold. Gu Yuan, well below her standard, managed the silver with 63.89, while Japanese Yuka Murofushi had the bronze with 62.62.

Indian delight in women’s 400m

The Indian camp was elated as Manjeet and Geetha ran away from the field for a shut-out gold-silver finish. Manjeet clocked 51.50, her second best behind her national record of 51.05, while Geetha, a former Asian junior champion, was timed in a personal best of 51.75 for the silver. Japan’s Asami Tanno took the bronze in 52.91.

Incidentally, the Sri Lankan, Damayanthi Darsha, who was the defending champion, is running only the 200m here. The qualification rounds were held in the morning and Darsha easily made it, clocking the best in the field with a 23.66.

By an IAAF correspondent in Korea

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Results of Finals:

Men

400m: 1. Yuzo Kanemaru (Jpn) 46.04, 2. Prasanna Amarasekara (Sri) 46.48, 3. Rohan Pradeep Kumara (Sri) 46.52.

Pole Vault: 1. Daichi Sawano (Jpn) 5.40, 2. Zhang Hongwei (Chn) 5.20, 3. Takehito Ariki (Jpn) 5.20.

Triple Jump: 1. Gu Junjie (Chn) 16.90, 2. Kazuyoshi Izikawa (Jpn) 16.88, 3. Kim Duk Hyun (Kor) 16.78.

Javelin Throw: 1. Li Rongxiang (Chn) 78.28, 2. Jung Sang Jin (Kor) 76.85, 3. Jagdish Kumar Bishnoi (Ind) 74.83.

Women

 400m: 1. Manjeet Kaur (Ind) 51.50, 2. Satti Geetha (Ind) 51.75, 3. Asami Tanno (Jpn) 52.91.

5000m: 1. Bai Xue (Chn) 15:40.89, 2. Lee Eun Jung (Kor) 15:41.67, 3. Yumi Sato (Jpn) 15:47.14.

Hammer throw: 1. Zhang Wenxiu (Chn) 70.05, 2. Gu Yuan (Chn) 63.89, 3. Yuka Murofushi (Jpn) 62.62.