Chinese throwers took a lion’s share by winning five titles in the two day AFI-Salwan International Throws Meet which concluded at New Delhi on Saturday (30 Sep).
Poland’s World University Games champion Tomasz Majewski, fresh from his second place finish at Shanghai Golden Grand Prix barely a week ago - where he registered a personal best 20.66 - snatched the men’s Shot Put gold (19.83) on the opening day. China’s Olympic hopeful Zhang Qi was a close second in 19.65. Navpreet Singh of India, who represented Asia in the World Cup in Athens, pulled out at the last minute with a groin injury.
Majewski’s teammate Michal Hodun took the title in Discus Throw in 57.23. Normally a stronghold for Indians, the event could not draw top-rankers like Vikas Gowda, the NCAA champion this year with a throw of 60.55m.
China opened its account with Gu Yuan’s victory in the women’s Hammer Throw. The host’s Hardeep Kaur fought for the top-honours in this event but eventually settled for the silver at 61.10m. Gu Yuan throw the ball and chain to 65.70 for the gold. Li Zhong hurled the spear to 54.18m in the Javelin Throw for women. The Indian entrant Megha Pardeshi was a distant second in 49.27m.
Li Meiju (18.49) and Sun Taifeng (62.98) conquered the Shot Put and Discus Throw events respectively for a clean sweep of women’s titles. Seema Antil, India’s silver medalist at the Commonwealth Games at Melbourne earlier this year, not at her best today and hence settled with a silver (57.04m).
Li Rongxiang garnered the men’s Javelin Throw gold (78.14). Iranian Syed Mehadi Shahrokhi (74.84) and Pakistan’s Mohammad Arfan Hussain (72.26) took the next two spots.
The other Asian athlete to grab the top spot was Mohamed Ali Al-Zankawi of Kuwait in the Hammer Throw. Al-Zankawi displayed a fine performance on the ring to secure the coveted medal on yellow metal with his 74.01 mark. The silver went to Lee Yun-Chul of Korea (68.44) while the Indian aspirant Nirbhay Singh got the bronze in 67.80.
The above meet, jointly organized by the Athletics Federation of India and Salwan Throws Academy started as a national event last year. The organizers added international flavour to this year’s meet by inviting athletes from as many as 12 nations. Many athletes came here from Asian nations since the meet served as a test-field for their build-up towards the Asian Games to be held at Doha in December.
The national meet, which was being held concurrently with the international, has also included some junior and youth events. The foreign participants in age-group events have added colour, competition and the much required experience for the upcoming Indian athletes.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF
Results: (All Indian, unless indicated otherwise)
MEN:
Shot Put (29): 1. Tomasz Majewski (POL) 19.83; 2. Zhang Qi (CHN) 19.65; 3. Satyendra Kumar Singh 18.61
Discus Throw (29): 1. Michal Hodun (POL) 57.23; 2. Andrzej Krawczyk (POL) 56.85; 3. Jong Choi Bum (KOR) 56.25
Hammer Throw (30): 1. Mohamed Ali Al-Zankawi (KUW) 74.01; 2. Lee Yun-Chul (KOR) 68.44; 3. Nirbhay Singh 67.80
Javelin Throw (30): 1. Li Rongxiang (CHN) 78.14; 2. Syed Mehadi Shahrokhi (IRI) 74.84; 3. Mohammad Arfan Hussain (PAK) 72.26
Junior Men:
Shot Put (29): 1. Kulwinder Singh 17.63; 2. Sharad Chaudhary 16.56; 3. Inderjeet Singh 16.24
Discus Throw (30): 1. Nikolay Akhramov (UZB) 51.32; 2. Sharad Chaudhary 51.05; 3. Abhay Chandra Yadav 50.80
Hammer Throw (30): 1. Diwakar 63.32; 2. Jogender Singh 63.17; 3. Ravinder 59.51
Javelin Throw (30): 1. Jai Chaudhary 59.60; 2. Dinesh Patel 58.57; 3. Vipin Kasana 58.45
Youth (u-18):
Shot Put (30): 1. Grigoriy Kamulya (UZB) 19.76; 2. Sanjeev Rathi 18.37, 3. Navin Kumar 17.41
Discus Throw (30): 1. Dimitar Vasiliev (BUL) 52.54; 2. Navin Kumar 51.05; 3. Sushant Dutta 42.79
Hammer Throw (30): 1. Reza Moghadam Kordmahale (IRI) 66.25; 2. Amit Kumar Singh 64.73; 3. Lokesh Yadav 63.50
Javelin Throw (30): 1. Nitin Rathi 64.96, 3. Laxmi Narayan 58.70, 3. Petar Koychev Ramavliev (BUL) 49.59
Boys (u-16):
Discus Throw (30): 1. Punit 43.59; 2. Ram Pratap 41.96; 3. Aakash Antil 41.33
Hammer Throw (30): 1. Bhupinder Singh 56.25; 2. Ankit Kumar 49.43; 3. Javad-ur-Rehman 46.67
WOMEN:
Shot Put (30): 1. Li Meiju (CHN) 18.49; 2. Saroj Sihag 15.33; 3. Safiyan Burhanova (UZB) 13.78
Discus Throw (30): 1. Sun Taifeng (CHN) 62.98; 2. Seema Antil 57.04; 3. Krishna Poonia 54.80
Hammer Throw (29): 1. Gu Yuan (CHN) 65.70; 2. Hardeep Kaur 61.10; 3. Katlin Divos (HUN) 59.18
Javelin Throw (29): 1. Li Zhang (CHN) 54.18; 2. Megha Pardeshi 49.27; 3. Gurpreet Kaur 45.99
Junior Women:
Shot Put (29): 1. Neelam Jhakar 13.08; 2. Neha Singh 11.72; 3. Jagadiswari 10.45
Discus Throw (30): 1. Priyanka Bhanot 45.46; 2. Niveditha Narayan 37.51; 3. Anitha Abraham 36.71
Hammer Throw (30): 1. Bharti 47.25; 2. Anitha Abraham 40.09; 3. Sajjan Kanwar 38.87
Javelin Throw (30): 1. Pramila 39.38; 2. Asha Mary 38.21; 3. Anita Patel 37.22
Youth(u-18):
Shot Put (30): 1. Safiyan Burhanova (UZB) 13.28; 2. Steffy Cardozo 13.13; 3. Rinku Sangwan 11.41
Discus Throw (30): 1. Rinku Sangwan 42.66; 2. Ankita Julka 40.74; 3. Poornima Navagune 31.96
Hammer Throw (30): 1.Seema Jakhar 46.93; 2. Reena Kumari 45.40; 3. Swathi Singh 43.08
Girls (u-16):
Discus Throw (30): 1. Roopika 31.67; 2. Prerna Gangaj 28.19 (only two competitors).
