On the final day of athletics, India added five more medals — including two gold — to take the total tally in the sport to 7 gold, 10 silver and two bronze. This is the third best performance by the Indian athletics team at the Asian Games in terms of gold medals. In the overall medal count, India’s haul of 19 medals was second only to the 31 in 1951 and 20 in 1982 — both at New Delhi — making it the best performance outside home.
Maiden javelin gold
Neeraj Chopra (88.06m) became the first Indian javelin thrower to win gold at the Asian Games. The last athlete from India to win a medal in the event was Gurtej Singh in 1982.
First since 1952
Jinson Johnson’s gold (3:44.72) in the 1,500 metres was India’s first medal in the event since Bahadur Prasad won a bronze at the 1998 Games. It was also India’s first-ever gold in the event since Mohinder Singh in 1952.
Dutee does an Usha
Dutee Chand became the first Indian sprinter to win a medal in both the 100 and 200 metres at the same edition of the Asian Games since PT Usha won a gold in the longer sprint and a silver in the 100 metres at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games. Dutee won silver in both the sprint events.
Manjit stuns one and all
Manjit Singh (1:46.15) ended a 36-year-wait for a gold in the men’s 800 metres when he produced a phenomenal burst in the final 100 to beat his compatriot Jinson Johnson, who was tipped to finish first. The last man from India to win a 800 metre gold at the Asiad was Charles Borromeo at the 1982 Asiad in Delhi. Heptathlon star Swapna Burman (6026 points) did what no other Indian woman had done before by winning gold. Sona Biswas (silver) and JJ Sobha (bronze) in 2002 and Pramila Aiyappa in 2010 were the other medallists.
Five in Five
The Indian women’s quartet of Hima Das, M R Poovamma, Saritaben Gayakwad and Vismaya Velluva Koroth ran 3 minute and 28.72 seconds to claim the gold in the women’s 4×400 metre. This was the fifth consecutive Games in which the women’s team has won a gold. This was Hima and Poovamma’s second medal. Hima won a silver in the 400, while Poovamma was part of the mixed 4x400m relay squad which came second.
Toor de Force With a throw of 20.75 metres Tejinder Pal Toor broke the national record in the men’s shot put and won India’s first gold in the event since 2002.
