India draw blank on final day, end dismal 11th in Asian cycling
NEW DELH: i India’s campaign in the 37th Asian Track Cycling Championships ended in disappointment with just two bronze as the host country failed to win any medal on the final day of competitions here on Friday.
India had won a bronze each on the first and second days of competitions through junior women cyclists -- in team sprint and individual 500m time trial -but went medal-less three days on the trot after that.
The first bronze came in the junior women’s team sprint event through Shushikala Agashe and Aleena Reji. The second bronze was also won by Reji in junior women’s 500m time trial event.
India’s top medal hope Deborah Herold failed to finish on the podium in the elite category in the three events she competed -500m time trial, keirin and sprint.
With two bronze, India finished 11th in the medal’s tally while South Korea emerged on top with nine gold, 13 silver and eight bronze.
China finished second with eight gold, three silver and three bronze while the third spot went to Japan with seven gold, five silver and 13 bronze.
London Olympics bronze medallist Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong emerged the star performer of the competition as she grabbed her third gold by winning the women’s elite keirin event.
Indian riders Deborah Herold and Nayana Rajesh finished 10th and 12th respectively in this event.
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Mohd Azizulhasni Awang won Malaysia’s first gold in men’s elite sprint event. Awang had finished a disappointing ninth in the men’s elite keirin event but made up for his loss with an extremely scintillating performance in the sprint event. Yao Pang and Meng Zhao Juan of Hong Kong claimed gold in the women’s elite 30km madison race final .