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Indian track and field athletes had a mixed day on September 29 at the Asian Games 2023, with both medals and athletes just missing the qualification mark. However, things look very promising in the near future.
The highlight of the day was Kiran Baliyan's exceptional performance in the women's shot put final. She displayed extraordinary strength and technique as she clinched the bronze medal for India with a best throw of 17.36 meters from six attempts.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian athletics, as it not only represents the first medal in the sport at the Asian Games 2023, but also the first one in 72 years. China's Lijiao Gong and Jiayuan Song secured the gold and silver medals respectively.
Other Indian athletics results
Vikash Singh and Priyanka Goswami gave their all in the grueling 20-kilometer race walk final. They both finished in a close fifth place in the men’s and women’s categories respectively, narrowly missing out on a medal.
In the men's 400m, India had two representatives. In heat 2, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi finished second with a commendable time of 45.76 seconds. This impressive run secured his spot in the men's 400-meter final.
While Ajmal Variyathodi shone, Muhammed Anas Yahiya had a challenging outing in Heat 1. Anas finished third and narrowly missed out on a place in the final.
In the women's 400m, Aishwarya Mishra delivered an outstanding performance, finishing second with her season-best time of 52.73 seconds. This time was enough to secure her spot in the final. On the other hand, Himanshi Malik faced tough competition and missed out on a place in the women's final, finishing fifth in her heat.
Tanya Chaudhary represented India in the women's hammer throw final, finishing in seventh place with her best throw of 60.50 meters.
Rachna Kumari, another Indian athlete in the same event, secured the ninth position with her best throw of 58.13 meters after three attempts. Despite missing out on a medal, this result is a good sign for India’s hammer throw athletes.
With the athletic events now underway at the Asian Games 2023, India has several talented athletes competing for the coveted gold.
On September 30, in the men's long jump, Jeswin Aldrin Johnson and Sreeshankar will be vying for top honors, while in the women's heptathlon, Nandini Agasara will take on the 100-meter hurdles.
Nandini will also compete in the high jump event along with another Indian, Swapna Barman, later in the day. Additionally, Jyothi Yarraji and Nithya Ramraj will represent India in the women's 100m hurdles, and Ajay Kumar Saroj and Jinson Johnson will aim for success in the men's 1500m.
The Asian Games 2023 has already witnessed some outstanding performances from Indian athletes, and there is much anticipation for what the next few days will bring. As Indian athletics continues to rise, the nation hopes the sport will produce many more athletes like Neeraj Chopra.
