Susanthika Jayasinghe (© Getty Images)
Sydney Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka bagged the women’s 200m, while India maintained its regional supremacy in the field events on the second day of the athletic competition at the 9th South Asian Games, which continued at the Jinnah Stadium here today.
Jayasinghe - peak form will be showed later
The Asian Games champion in Busan 16 months ago, Jayasinghe clocked 23.49 to win women’s 200m gold medal. Her team mate Sujani Buddhika won the silver. Speaking after her victory, the 29-year-old Lankan sprinter said she only ran for the medal, and the timing does not indicate where she really stands on present form.
“As I have stated before leaving for the Games, I only ran to win, not for timing. My real form would could in four months time, “ she said.
Jayasinghe said her present training schedule leads to the forthcoming Olympic Games in Athens and would ‘peak’ accordingly. Jayasinghe said she has overcome her hamstring injury, which troubled her during the 2002 Asian Games and last year’s IAAF World Championships in Paris.
Jayasinghe is due to run in the women’s 100m at these Games in a couple of days time, aiming to complete a sprint double. She is also down to run for Sri Lanka’s 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relay squads at this eight-nation Games here in the Pakistani capital.
Rohan Pradeep Kumara takes men's 200m title for Sri Lanka too
Sri Lanka’s status as track specialists in the region was not only proved by Jayasinghe but also their team captain Rohan Pradeep Kumara. The experienced Asian championships double gold medallist ran a season’s best 20.99 seconds to win the men’s 200m final.
“This is not my pet event. Hence, I am happy to win an additional gold medal. Now I have to concentrate on my favourite event of 400m. Things look pretty good here at present,” the Lankan sprinter said.
Indians unstoppable in the infield
But Indians were unstoppable in field events, as they have been in the past. They won gold medals in all three field event finals that were contested today - men’s discus throw, triple jump and women’s discus throw.
In addition, India won their fourth athletic gold medal for the day when Madhuri Singh clocked 2:07.61 to take the women’s 800m gold medal. Sri lanka’s Mangala Priyadharshani won the silver.
India won both the gold and silver medals in women’s Discus Throw though Sameena Antil (57.03m) and Krish Na (49.13). The other two Indians to win gold medals in field events were Hirdayand Singh (53.77m in men’s Discus Throw) and Anarjeet Singh (16.16m in men’s Triple Jump).
The Discus gold medallist said he was happy with his achievement, though he was targeting to clear a greater distance. “This is a good beginning, I could look forward to the future with confidence,” he said.
Pradeep Kumara back later for crack at 200/400m double
The men’s 200m gold medallist Pradeep Kumara also warmed up for his second gold medal when he won his first semi-final heat in men’s 400m.
He clocked 47.50 to finish first, but said there was hardly any competition in the heat. “There should be a better and tight contest in the final. But I should be able to make it,” he said. His team mate and Asian Grand Prix triple medallist, Prasanna Amarasekera won the other men’s 400m heat in 46.86 seconds.
India continues to head the athletic competition medals table with six gold, five silver and five bronze. Sri Lanka is placed second with four gold medals, three silver and two bronze. Pakistan takes the third spot with two gold medals, two silver and five bronze. India also heads the overall medals standings with a rich haul of 54 gold medals, 22 silver and 14 bronze medals.
Dinesh Weerawansa for the IAAF
RESULTS:
Men:
200m: 1. Rohan Pradeep Kumara (SRI) 20.99, 2. Imran Ahamed (PAK) 21.24, 3. Piyush Kumara (IND) 21.35.
800m: 1. Mohammed Sifrath (SRI) 1:51.60, 2. Gramanda Ran (IND) 1:52.21, 3. Irshad Fazal (PAK) 1:52.24.
400m hurdles: 1. Allad Ditta (PAK) 51.15, 2. Harijana Ratnayake (SRI) 51.31, 3. Mumammed Adil (PAK) 52.15.
Discus throw: Hirdayand Singh (IND) 53.77m, 2. Sukhbir Singh (IND) 53.55, 3. Azhar Saleem (PAK) 51.35.
Triple Jump: 1. Anaejeet Singh (IND) 16.16m, 2. Zafar Iqbad (PAK) 15.79, 3. K.C. Saintison (IND) 15.69.
Women:
200m: 1. Susanthika Jayasinghe (SRI) 23.49, 2. Sujani Buddhika (SRI) 24.31, 3. Poonam Toner (IND) 24.76.
800m: 1. Madhuri Singh (IND) 2:07.61, 2. Mangal Priyadharshani
(SRI) 2:07.84, 3. Gulanaz Ara (PAK) 2:09.49.
Discus throw: 1. Sameena Antil (IND) 57.03m, 2. Krish Na (IND) 49.13, 3. Padma Nandani Wijesundara (SRI) 42.31.
