China's Lao Yi takes the Asian Games 100m title in Guangzhou (© Getty Images)
On a day when Liu Xiang went through his preliminary round in the 110m Hurdles, and thereby attracting a crowd upwards of 55,000 at the Aoti Main Stadium, there were eliminations that shocked the athletics enthusiasts in the Asian Games on Monday (22).
The one to go out without creating an impact was the World 1500m champion Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain. He clocked a shocking 3:58.80, coming in ninth place in heat two, finishing overall 18th.
Kamel could have been expected to go for the 800m/1500m double here. He was entered for both, but now he is not sure whether he would compete in the 800m since he said he had a knee injury.
Asked about his his inability in not making the final, Kamel said that he was not disappointed. “I felt pain when I warmed up and it hurts when I run.”
Upsets in men's 100m semis clears the way for Yao Li
Kamel’s exit apart, there were two stunning eliminations in the semifinals of the men’s 100m. Japanese Masashi Eriguchi, the odds-on-favourite for the title here, who heads the season’s lists in Asia with his 10.16, was out in the semifinals, finishing fifth in 10.56s in one of three heats.
Then, the continental record holder, with his 9.99s in Amman in 2007, Samuel Francis of Qatar was disqualified for a false start.
“I just can’t accept it. It is just unbelievable,” Francis said.
The Eriguchi-Francis duel was being keenly looked forward to, and in the event, 25-year-old Chinese Yao Li, a relatively lesser-known sprinter who has shot up the charts through the last few years, won the gold in 10.24s, marginally slower than his No. 2 ranked season timing of 10.21.
It was a close finish with Yasir Al Nashri of Saudi Arabia with the runners waiting for the decision, though when it did come it put Li firmly in the saddle with the Saudi behind at 10.26.
China expectedly made a gold-silver sweep in the women’s Hammer Throw with Zhang Wenxiu retaining her title with 72.84m and Zhang Wenxiu, ever smiling and full of pep, collecting the silver with 68.17m. Japanese Yuka Murofushi had a spot of bother at one stage in making sure of the bronze that was her’s for the asking, but finally overcame the uncertainties posed by Indian Hardeep Kaur’s throw of 60.54m, with a 62.94m in the third round.
China also had the men’s Pole Vault gold, Yang Yansheng winning at 5.50m while Uzbek Leonid Andreev and Korean Kim Yoo Suk tied for 5.30m to force a countback to sort out silver and bronze. Japanese Daichi Sawano was a notable absentee at the Pole Vault pit where the entire concentration of the crowd was predictably on Yang who is the season leader at 5.75.
Femi Ogunode of Qatar upset favourite Yuzo Kanemaru in the 400m while Kazakh Olga Tereshkova won the women’s one-lap gold in 51.97.
Favourite Japanese Chisato Fukushima obliged in the 100m, coming from behind to beat veteran Guzel Khubbieva of Uzbekistan 11.33 to 11.34.
Liu Xiang enters the stage
Liu Xiang’s first race in these championships brought out a spontaneous response from a big crowd, highly partisan, but at the same time fully enthusiastic in following the action.
The former World and Olympic champion, coming back after taking a long break from competition since May last, glided through for a 13.48 win that took him to the final heading the qualifiers list.
“I feel good today,” said Liu Xiang, who had to make a tearful exit from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 because of an Achilles injury. He had come back last year but has competed in limited number of meets since then, especially this season.
“I was relaxed at the finishing line. The place isn’t that important. It’s okay that I make the final. I am here to enjoy the atmosphere," said the man who is adored by his fans here.
“I expect to run in 13.20, I will try my best, “ he said about the final on 24 November.
That race has been kept at 7.50 p.m local time. Already tickets are in great demand. A sell-out crowd is expected.
By an IAAF Correspondent
Leading results:
Men:
100m: 1. Lao Yi (Chn) 10.24, 2. Yasir Al Nashri (KSA) 10.26, 3. Barakat Al Harthi (Oma) 10.28.
400m: 1. Femi Ogunode (Qat) 45.12, 2. Yuzo Kanemaru (Jpn) 45.32, 3. Yousef Ahmed Marahi (KSA) 45.71.
Pole vault: 1. Yang Yansheng (Chn) 5.50, 2. Leonid Andreev (Uzb) 5.30, 3. Kim Yoo Suk (Kor) 5.30.
Women:
100m: 1. Chisato Fukushima (Jpn) 11.33, 2. Guzel Khubbieva (Uzb) 11.34, 3. Vu Thi Huong (Vie) 11.43.
400m: Olga Tereshkova (Kaz) 51.97, 2. Asami Chiba (Jpn) 52.68, 3. Marina Maslenko (Kaz) 52.70.
Hammer: 1. Zhang Wenxiu (Chn) 72.84, 2. Wang Zheng (Chn) 68.17, 3. Yuka Murofushi (Jpn) 62.94.
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