Our national athletics team’s run of achievements and victories at the 21st Asian Championships, which conclude today in the Chinese city of Wuhan with the participation of 45 countries under the banner of the Asian Athletics Association, represented by more than (500) male and female athletes who have competed over the past days to claim achievements and honour their countries, continued as our champions added more coloured medals, with young, promising runner Hashim Salah winning the silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase, taking our coloured medal tally to (6 medals), including (four golds) and (two silvers), putting us provisionally on top of the men’s team standings ahead of tonight’s final round at the scene of the action, Wuhan Olympic Stadium.
Finale events
Tonight’s finale programme includes (12) field and track finals, as follows: first, for men — high jump final, 200m final, 800m final, 1500m final, conclusion of the decathlon (men), 4x400m relay final; second, for women — triple jump final, 200m final, 800m final, javelin throw final, shot put final, 4x400m relay final.
Hashim wins 3000m steeplechase silver
Our promising runner Hashim Salah Mohammed took second place in the 3000m steeplechase, winning the national team’s second silver, clocking a time of (8:36.02), while Bahrain’s John Koech snatched gold in a time of (8:27.03), and his compatriot Avinash Sowmit took third in a time of (8:42.76).
Setting a new championship record
The whirlwind in the 200m final
Our gold medallist Femi Ogunode qualified easily for the 200m final after topping his heat with ease, setting a new championship record of (20.28s), confirming his top form and focus on winning the bet and holding onto his title as Asia’s fastest man. Qatari whirlwind Femi Ogunode’s chances of claiming the 200m gold and completing the double look strong, with an eye also on the 4x400m relay gold with the Qatari quartet, while his teammate Samuel Francis bowed out in the semi-final heats, finishing fifth in his group in a time of (21.10s), missing out on qualifying for the final, a sign of a dip in form and lack of focus in his bid to reclaim the Asian sprint crown.
Musaab and Hayran through to the 800m final
Today Qatari duo Musaab Abdulrahman and Jamal Hayran contest the 800m final, alongside six other runners representing Bahrain, India, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Japan and Sri Lanka, in a tremendous battle to snatch the race gold and confirm Asian credentials. Musaab had qualified for the final by topping his semi-final heat in a time of (1:50.80), while Hayran topped his group in (1:50.28), with a three-way battle expected between Musaab, Hayran and Saudi Arabia’s Al Salehi, one of the best Arab runners, alongside Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman in the 800m.
The dream of winning 4x400m gold
The 4x400m relay gold medal appears to be the focus of our national team’s radar, being a precious medal that would strengthen our lead at the championship, especially given the big bet on the Qatari quartet led by whirlwind Femi Ogunode, promising Abdalelah Haroun, and runners Musaab Abdulrahman and Mohammed Al Nour, with Jamal Hayran as reserve.
Our world champion Mutaz Barshim, the focus of the whole yellow continent’s fans
Asia and the fans of the mother of sport eagerly await the appearance of our Olympic world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim in the finale of the Asian Athletics Championships’ high jump event, alongside his younger brother Omar Barshim, in a fierce battle to prove himself and confirm his standing at the top of world high jump, amid expectations that the participation of the world’s in-form jumper will draw the attention of fans and media, Asian and international alike, to watch the contest, especially as it comes just ahead of the World Athletics Championships hosted by China this coming August.
Al Mannai seventh in the triple jump
Qatari jumper Rashid Al Mannai finished seventh in the triple jump final with a leap of (16.06m), while South Korea’s Kim Deok-hyun took first place with (16.86m), China’s Cao Shuo finished runner-up with (16.77m), and Kazakhstan’s Roman Valiyev took third with (16.67m).
“Deeb” fourth in the discus
Qatar’s champion Ahmed Deeb Al Mughanni had to settle for fourth place in the discus final with a throw of (58.84m), while India’s Javed Vikas took gold with (62.03m), Kuwait’s Isa Al Zankawi finished runner-up with (61.57m), and Iran’s Mohammad Samimi took third with (59.78m).
10,000m gold for Bahrain
Bahraini runner Abbas Al Hassan won the 10,000m gold in a time of (28:50.71), with India’s Govinda Lakshman finishing runner-up in (29:42.81), and Uzbekistan’s Andrei Petrov taking third in (30:20.68).
China’s Ling, pole vault champion
China’s Li Ling won the pole vault, clearing a fine (4.66m), with compatriot Hou Jin second with (4.30m), and Japan’s Abiko Tomomi finishing third with (4.20m).
Japan’s Kenshi, 400m hurdles champion
Japanese runner Kenshi won the 400m hurdles gold in a time of (49.58s), while Chinese Taipei’s runner Shen took second in (49.68s), and Japan’s Yoshida Kuwazaki took third in (49.95s).
Javelin gold.. for Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei’s champion Huang Feng claimed the javelin throw gold with a throw of (79.74m), while Uzbekistan’s Bobur Shokirov finished second with (79.09m), and Japan’s Murayama Fukumi took third with (79.05m).
Bahraini wins 400m hurdles gold
Bahraini runner Olukemi Adekoya won the 400m hurdles gold in a new Asian record time of (54.31s), while Japan’s Kira Manami finished second in (57.14s), and China’s Xu Xiya took third in (57.69s).
India’s Babar, queen of the 3000m steeplechase
Indian runner Lalita Babar won the 3000m steeplechase gold in a time of (9:34.13), while China’s Li Zhenzhu finished runner-up in (9:41.43), and China’s Zhang Yan took third in a time of (9:46.82).
India and China battling for the women’s team lead
A fierce battle raged between India and China for the top of the women’s standings, ahead of the decisive final day, and below are the most notable results — 1500m: first place, the UAE’s Betlhem Desalegn (4:29.39); second, China’s Jing Zhao (4:29.40); third, Japan’s Ayano Ikeno (4:32.90). High jump: first, Uzbekistan’s Svetlana Radzivil (1.91m); second, China’s Yang Wang (1.88m); third, China’s Zheng Xingjuan (1.84m). Long jump: first, China’s Lu Minjia (6.61m); second, South Korea’s Jung Sun-ok (6.47m); third, China’s Zhao Ling-chu (6.46m). Hammer throw: first, China’s Liu Tingting (66.24m); third, China’s Liu Na (65.77m); third, Japan’s Watanabe Akane (59.39m). 110m hurdles: first, China’s Wen Junzhi (13.56s); second, Kuwait’s Abdulaziz Al Mendeel (13.67s); third, South Korea’s Byung-jun Kim (13.75s). Shot put: first, India’s Inderjeet Singh (20.41m); second, Chinese Taipei’s Ming-Hsiung Chang (19.56m); third, China’s Zhi-zhong Tian (19.23m). Women’s 100m hurdles: first, China’s Wu Shuijiao (13.12s); second, Kazakhstan’s Anastasia Pilipenko (13.33s); third, Japan’s Kimura Ayako (13.41s).
