Parul Chaudhary won the gold medal at Asian Games 2023© AFP
India’s Parul Chaudhary displayed tenacity and tremendous temperament to clinch a gold medal in the women’s 5000m at the Asian Games on Tuesday. The 28-year-old stayed in the top two before stepping up in the final moments to pip Japan’s Ririka Hironaka for the top position with a timing of 15:14.75. Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath fetched a silver in the men’s 800m with a timing 1:48.43. For Parul, it was a second medal at the continental championships after she had claimed a silver in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase on Monday. Earlier, Vithya Ramraj, 25, came up with a timing of 55.68s to claim a bronze medal in women’s 400m hurdles.
(Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)
It wasn’t her best show but it was good enough to secure her a third place.
Bahrain’s Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya produced a games record of 54.45s and Jaidie Mo of China came up with a season best of 55.01 to claim the gold and silver respectively.
The Indian had equalled PT Usha’s 400m hurdle national record, which was set in 1984, with a personal best effort of 55.52s to top her heat and directly qualify for the final on Monday.
Ramraj was also part of the Indian quartet, including Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Rajesh Ramesh and Subha Venkatesan, that had won the bronze in mixed team 4x400m relay before it was upgraded to silver on Monday after Sri Lanka’s disqualification for lane infringement.
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