Jinson, relay girls provide golden finish in athletics
FLOURISH Kerala boy and women’s 4X400m team race to glory as India end track and field campaign with 19 medals
respectively, pushing the seasoned thrower to third spot.
The slim PU Chitra was only too happy to win her maiden Asian Games medal in 1500m, her toothy smile saying it all. Hailing from Palakkad in Ker- ala, she timed 4:12.56, not her personal best but good enough for bronze. Bahrain’s Kalkidan Befkadu and Belay Tigist finished one-two, clocking 4:07.88 and 4:09.12.
As the track and field events concluded on Thursday, India had a haul of seven gold, 10 silver and two bronze.
HIMA’S EARLY CHARGE
The women’s 4x400m team’s strategy was to beat the Bahrain athletes at their game — speed. Hima Das was chosen as the first runner and the strategy worked. By the time she handed the baton to seasoned Poovamma, India were leading by more than oneand-a-half seconds, courtesy her timing of 52.13.
Poovamma ran an even more inspired race clocking 52.07. Though Sarita Gayakwad and VK Vismaya slackened, the initial momentum had done the job.
Johnson from Kerala was the leader of the pack and had “con- served enough energy” for the last 80 metres to ensure a medal after he had faltered in the last 50 metres in 800m two days back to give the gold to Manjit Singh. “It is a sweet revenge for me,” said Johnson, who overcame a late push from Moradi to win in 3:44.72 minutes. Manjit finished a distant fourth, clocking 3:46.57.
However, as the day’s proceedings ended, one felt sad for Seema Punia — for the sheer amount of flak she has taken over the years and still managed to win gold at Incheon and bronze here. So, is retirement on the cards, someone asked. “Definitely not,” replied Seema.
“I will bring home a medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.”