Parul Chaudhary won silver at Asian Games 2023© AFP
India’s Parul Chaudhary and Priti secured silver and bronze medals respectively in the women’s 3000m steeplechase but they were left chasing the shadow of Bahrain’s Yavi Winfred Mutile, who set an Asian Games record on way to defending her title on Monday. Parul clocked 9:27.63 seconds, which was more than nine seconds behind the Bahrain runner who took the top podium finish in 9:18.28, a new Games record. The previous Games record stood in the name of country-mate Jebet Ruth (9:31.36 sec) set during the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.
Though Parul also breached the Asian Games record, it was nowhere close to her national record and personal best of 9:15.31 clocked at the World Championships in Budapest, which helped her qualify for the Paris Olympics, in August.
Compatriot Priti finished a good 16 seconds behind Parul, clocking a personal best 9:43.32 seconds to win the bronze in a close finish with another Bahrain runner Mekonen Tigest Getent, who timed 9:43.71 seconds to finish fourth.
Yavi began to pull away in the sixth lap of the gruelling race, making Parul look like an underpowered engine.
The Kenyan-born Bahrain runner, who won the 2023 World Athletics Championships gold in the event beating country-mate Beatrice Chepkoech, finished at least 50 metres ahead of the 28-year-old Parul.
In men’s 200m, India’s Amlan Borgohain finished a distant sixth in 20.98 seconds.
The gold was won by Japan’s Koki Ueyama in 20.60 seconds, which was way below the Asian Games record of 20.14 seconds set in Incheon by Qatar’s Femi Ogunode.
Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Abdullah Abkar clinched the silver medal with a time of 20.63, while the bronze went to Chinese Taipei’s Yang Chun-Han who clocked 20.74 seconds.
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