Extending India’s medal tally to 69 in the 19th edition of the Asian Games on Tuesday, Indian athletes secured as many as six medals from track and field in Hangzhou on Day 10 of the continental showpiece event. The day began with archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam outclassing Aditi Swami to advance to the women’s compound individual final. Abhishek Verma and Ojas Deotale ensured a bronze in the men’s section as three archery medals were confirmed for India on Tuesday.
Forward Vandana Katariya, vice-captain Deep Grace Ekka and Deepika scored a hat-trick each in the Indian women’s team’s 13-0 win over Hong Kong in their final pool match. Indian shuttlers HS Prannoy and PV Sindhu entered the men’s and women’s singles pre-quarterfinals with convincing wins on Day 10 of the Asiad in Hangzhou. In men’s cricket, youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed a record-breaking century to help India upstage Nepal by 23 runs at the Asian Games.
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Parul and Rani strike gold for India
Scripting history for India in athletics on Day 10, Parul Chaudhary earned plaudits with her last-gasp win in the women’s 5000m event. The 28-year-old was trailing Japan’s Ririka Hironaka in the closing stage of the race. However, Parul stunned Hironaka by overtaking her Japanese opponent from the left to strike a historic gold for India.
This was Parul’s second medal at the Asian Games after she finished in the women’s 3000m steeplechase on Monday. Showcasing her season-best performance at the continental showpiece, India’s Annu Rani sealed a gold medal in the women’s javelin throw. The 31-year-old fired her season-best throw of 62.92m in her fourth attempt to strike India’s 15th gold medal at the Games.
Tejaswin Shankar creates national record to win silver
Before India sealed its second gold of the day, Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath and Praveen Chitharavel won silver and bronze in men’s 800m and triple jump. Pulikkalakath and Chitharavel’s impressive efforts of 1:48.43s and 16.68m helped India take the fourth spot in the medal standings. Setting up a national record of 7666 points, Tejaswin Shankar won a silver in the men’s decathlon at the Asian Games. Shankar’s fourth-place finish in the 1500m sealed India’s first men’s decathlon medal since 1974.
Vithya and Narender sign off with bronze
Vithya Ramraj won a bronze for India with a timing of 55.68s in the women’s 400m hurdles. Ramraj matched PT Usha’s 400m hurdle national record to seal a direct entry for the final. World boxing champion Lovlina Borgohain filled an Olympic quota by entering the final of the Asian Games 2023. Indian boxers Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Narender Berwal (92kg) capped off their campaigns with bronze medals at the Asian Games. The fourth-placed Indian contingent has won 15 gold, 26 silver and 28 bronze at the Asian Games.
