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What's the story?
The Indian Women's 4x400m Relay Team -- of Hima Das, MR Poovamma, Vismaya Velluva Koroth, Saritaben Gayakwad -- has won yet another Gold medal at Asian Games. It is for a fifth straight time, that the Indian Women's team has won the 4x400m Gold medal at the Asiad.
In case you didn't know...
The 2018 Asian Games are currently underway in the cities of Jakarta and Palembang. It is the first time that two cities have been given the rights to co-host the games. The Indian contingent has also returned to Indonesia after Fifty-Six years.
And so far, they have enjoyed a successful return. India has won Fifty-Seven medals and is Eighth on the medal table.
The heart of the matter
The Indian Women's 4x400m Relay Team grabbed the Gold medal for the fifth successive time. The Women completed the course in 3:28.72 minutes to finish first.
India chose to start with Hima Das in the first position, a strategy which in the end paid dividends. Das was several metres ahead of her opponents at the first exchange. From there on in it was smooth sailing for the Women, who kept their tempo steady despite having a huge lead.
It is the fifth straight time, that the Indian Women's 4x400m Relay team has won the Gold medal. MR Poovamma, the only athlete remaining from the last iteration of this team.
Even before their run, however, India enjoyed a stellar competition at the tracks, and indeed the field. The Athletics team has so far been the highest contributor to India's medal tally with Seventeen medals. Six of those Seventeen have been Gold.
In Field events, five athletes medals for India.
Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put) started the competition with a Gold and Games Record. Flag-bearer Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw) followed as he added another Gold. Arpinder Singh (Men's Triple Jump) won a Gold as well. There was to be a Silver medal as well., with Neena Varakil (Long Jump) the recipient. The only Bronze medal came through Seema Punia (Discus).
Over in track, Jinson Johnson (Men's 1500m ) and Manjit Singh (Men's 800m) won a Gold each. Jinson had previously added a Silver as well in 800m. Hima Das (Women's 400m), Muhammed Anas Yahiya (Men's 400m), Dutee Chand (Women's 100m, 200m), Dharun Ayyasamy (Men's 400m Hurdles), and Sudha Singh (Women's 3000m Steeplechase) all won Silver in their respective events.
What's next?
It has been a very successful event for Indian Athletics. This particular sport has contributed to almost double the number of medals, as the next best one, to India's medal tally. Hopefully, this is a streak that continues over the years.
