Crown stays with queens: India defend 4x400m title at Asian Games 2014

The Indian 4×400 women’s relay team, gold medal winners in the previous three Asian Games, had a reputation to defend, while Mandeep and Priyanka, who ran the third and first leg respectively, had a point to prove. In three minutes and 28.68 seconds the Indian 4×400 quartet showed why they still remain a force in Asia. The timing clocked as a new Games record.

The earlier Games record of 3:29.02 was also in the name of the gold-winning Indian team from 2010. India’s second gold in athletics — Seema Antil’s in women’s discus being the first — meant that the women’s relay team held who continental titles simultaneously.

Japan won the silver in 3:30.80 while China bagged the bronze in 3:32.02. The first lapper, Panwar was, however, lagging behind her Japanese counterpart but Luka, who won a silver in 800m race, ran a brilliant race to recover the loss ground for India.

India took a small lead after two laps before Mandeep widened the gap in the third lap after holding out a strong challenge from her Japanese counterpart. Poovamma, who won a bronze in 400m race, then anchored India to gold by blasting her way to the finishing line.

Bronze for Inderjeet

In shot put, Inderjeet struggled for most part of his event as he had 18.52m as his best throw from his first four attempts. But he came up with a 19.63m in his fifth and penultimate throw to fetch the bronze. His sixth and final attempt was a foul.

The other Indian in the fray, Om Prakash Karhana, who was cleared in the eleventh hour following an injury, finished a disappointing ninth with a best throw of 16.94m. The national record holder, who injured his ankle while warming up for a selection trial on September 15 before being cleared for the Games at the last minute, had 16.26 and 16.94 in his first two attempts while his third effort was a foul.

In men’s triple jump also, Renjith Maheshwary, who was cleared at the last minute after a selection trial, could come up with a best effort of just 15.67m while his season’s best is 16.54 and personal best score of 17.07. He also could not make it to the top eight after three rounds.

The men’s 4x400m relay quartet of Kunhu Mohammed, Joseph Abraham, Jithin Paul and Rajiv Arokia missed out on a bronze as they finished fourth in season’s best timing of 3:04.61.