Indians impressive again at 2nd leg of Asian GP athletics

Indian athletes continued their impressive performance in the Asian Grand Prix series by grabbing 10 medals, including four gold, in the second leg on Wednesday.

Chonburi (Thailand): Indian athletes continued their impressive performance in the Asian Grand Prix series by grabbing 10 medals, including four gold, in the second leg here on Wednesday.

M R Poovamma (women`s 400m), Rajiv Arokai (men`s 400m), Jithin Thomas (men`s high jump) and Nitin Rawat (men`s 3000m) bagged a gold each while Krishna Poonia (women`s discus), Kheta Ram (men`s 5000m) and Renjith Maheswary (men`s triple jump) grabbed a silver apiece. Siddhanth Thingalaya (men`s 110m hurdles), Anu Mariam Jose (women`s 400m) and Arpinder Singh (men`s triple jump) won a bronze each at the IPE Chonburi Campus Stadium. Poonia, who had finished fourth in the first leg, missed the Moscow World Championships `B` standard of 59.50m by seven centimetres. India had won 12 medals (four gold, five silver and three bronze) in the first leg in Bangkok on May 4. M R Poovamma won his second gold of the series in women`s 400m race in 53.57sec. She had won the race in the first leg in Bangkok in 52.97sec. Another Indian, Anu Mariam Jose finished third in 54.86sec, well below her bronze-winning effort of 53.95sec in Bangkok. Rajiv Arokia changed the colour of the medal from the silver he had won in Bangkok in the first leg to gold here in men`s 400m race as he set new personal best timing of 46.54sec. He had finished second in Bangkok in 46.91sec. Jithin Thomas also defended the title he won in Bangkok by clearing 2.21m, three centimetre more than his gold-winning effort in the first leg. Compatriot Nikhil Chitarasu, who was second in Bangkok, finished sixth with 2.18m. India dominated men`s 3000m race as Nitin Rawat won gold with a timing of 8:18.25s with compatriot Kheta Ram taking second place with 8:18.74s. Rawat and Ram had won gold and silver respectively in the 5000m race in the first leg. Siddhanth Thingalaya moved down one place from the second place he finished in the first leg to third here in men`s 110m hurdles with a timing of 13.90sec. Almandeel Abdulazia of Kuwait remained unbeaten in 13.69sec while Rittidet Jamras of Thailand grabbed second place in 13.88sec. In men`s triple jump, national record holder Renjith Maheswary settled for the silver for the second time behind Roman Valiyev of Kazakhstan. Maheswary had a leapt of 16.68m while Valiyev managed 16.69m. Another Indian, Arpinder Singh took the bronze with 16.53m. In women`s discus throw, Poonia came up with season`s best of 59.43m. Her personal and national record stands at 64.76m. Su Xinyue of China won the gold with a throw of 61.67m. In women`s high jump, first leg winner Sahana Kumari disappointed as she finished fifth with a modest 1.79m. Nadiya Dusanova of Uzbekistan won the gold with an effort of 1.86m. Sahana had cleared 1.86m in the first leg. In men`s shot put, national record holder Om Prakash Karhana disappointed again by finishing sixth with a below-par 17.64m throw. Wang Li Ke of China won the event with a throw of 18.86m. The third and final leg of the Asian Grand Prix will be held in Colombo on May 12. PTI