Tajinder Toor, Gomathi Marimuthu Headline Acts on Day 2 of Asian Athletics
Tajinder Pal Singh Toor opened with a massive throw of 20.74m to lead from the start of the shot put final at the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha.
It was a golden day for Indian athletes at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Doha on April 22. Gomathi Marimuthu sprung a surprise to open India’s gold tally at the championship, recording a personal best time of 2 minute, 02.70 seconds to win gold in the women’s 800m event. Asian Games champion Tajinder Pal Singh Toor then took centre stage, winning the top spot in the men’s shot put with a season’s best throw of 20.22 metres.
“Did not realise till I crossed the finish line that I have won a gold medal. Last 150m was a very tight race,” Gomathi, who finished ahead of Wang Chunyu of China (2:02.96) and Margarita Mukasheva of Kazakhstan, said after the race.
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Gomathi had a up and down race in the final. She pushed down the order after the first lap. However, she caught up with the lead bunch and settled into second position halfway through the second lap, behind Chunyu. Gomathi, who was seventh in the Asian Championship in 2013 and fourth in 2015, made her final push in the last 100m, edging past the Chinese athlete at the tape.
Later in the day, Toor’s first throw of 20.75 was his best for the night. The 24-year-old, Asia’s leading shot putter this season, led from the start, living up to his top billing.
Toor, who has a personal best of 20.75m, had entered into the championships as the season leader among the Asians and he lived up to the top billings. “Started well but lost rhythm in between. A throw beyond 21 metres is the target. Will be happy if that comes at Worlds,” Toor said.
In the absence of Neeraj Chopra, it was up to Shivpal Singh to take over the lead role in men’s javelin. He hurled the javelin to a distance of 86.23 metres, bettering his personal best by almost four metres, to win silver. With the effort, Shivpal has qualified for the 2019 World Championships as well.
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The second day of the championships started with two bronze medals for India. Jabir MP won the men’s 400m hurdles bronze medal with a personal best of 49.13 seconds while Saritaben Gayakwad finished third in the women’s 400m hurdles with a timing of 57.22 seconds.
The day also saw many disappointments for India. Dutee Chand, who broke her own national record for the second time in two days, finished fifth in the final of the women’s 100m after fading off in the second half of the race. In the semifinals, she clocked 11.26 sec to qualify in first place from the race. But in the final Chand could only manage a time of 11.44 sec.
India missed out on medals in the men’s 400m and 800m finals. Mohammed Anas finished eighth, while Arokia Rajiv finished fourth in the quarter mile race. In the 800m, Asian Games silver medallist Jinson Johnson pulled out of the final race with an injury. Mohammad Afsal finished seventh in the race.
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