Published>Fri, Jul 30 10 09:48 PM
New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) India's middle distance runner Sinimol Paulose bagged an international gold medal after two years, winning the women's 1500 metres while Juana Murmu registered her personal best to win the gold in women's 400 metre hurdles on the second and final day of the Asian All Stars Athletics Meet here Friday.
Indians once again dominated the proceedings in the depleted field.
Paulose, who has been struggling with form and fitness off late, won gold with a timing of 4:19.00 seconds, leaving behind Ekaterina Tunguskova (4:26.01secs) of Uzbekistan and Javeri Leila Ebrahimimo (4:34.11secs) of Iran.
The 26-year-old's last gold in any international meet also came in the Asian All Star meet in Bhopal.
'I am very happy to win a gold medal after such a long time. I needed this motivation to do good in the upcoming events like Commonwealth and Asian Games,' Paulose told IANS.
Paulose, whose personal best is 4:10 secs which came in 2006, said she is looking forward to get the qualifying mark for the Commonwealth Games at the Inter State meet in Patiala.
'I have to clock around 4:08 for the qualification. I have put in lot of hard work and if I continue to perform like this I will reach my peak during the Commonwealth and Asian Games.'
'I am at my best shape now and I can win a medal in the Commonwealth Games,' she said.
Murmu bagged the gold with a timing of 57.39 secs, surpassing her previous best of 59.89 secs, which she achieved this year in Federation Cup in May in Ranchi.
The Orissa girl, however, has to clock 56.00 secs to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.
'I am very happy with my performance today. The competition was good and I achieved me personal best. I am training hard and I am confident of a good show. I will try to reach the qualifying mark in the Inter State competition in Patiala,' she said.
Natalya Asanova (59.17secs) of Uzbekistan and Thi Bac Nguyen (1:00:64secs) of Vietnam won the silver and bronze respectively.
In men's 400 metre hurdles, Joseph Abraham, who was recommended for the Arjuna Award Friday, won silver (50.87secs). Takayuki Koike (50.08secs) of Japan won the gold and A. Thomas Avin (50.89secs) of India took the bronze.
'I think when I heard the news that I will get the Arjuna, I got excited and it showed on my performance. The track was fast and I had to slow down towards the end,' said Abraham.
Another strong medal contender in Commonwealth and Asian Games, men's triple jumper Renjith Maheswary won gold with a leap of 16.74 metres, while the silver and bronze went to Kazakhstan's Ektov Yevgenily (16.69m) and Roman Valiyev (16.67m).
Maheswary said he is not giving much importance to this result as he came unprepared in the competition.
'The focus of my training is Commonwealth and Asian Games. In between I took some time off for this competition. A medal in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games is well within my reach. I have to jump around 17.40 for a medal in Commonwealth Games and my target is 17.50. I think I can do it. I am participating in teh World Cup after this and some other tournaments as well,' Maheswary told IANS.
In women's discus throw, Krishna Poonia won gold with a throw of 60.93m while Harwant Kaur (58.73m) and Seema Antil (54.21m) got the silver and bronze medals.
In men's shot put, Om Prakash finished at the top of podium with a throw of 19.74m. Saurab Vij (19.09m) and Amin Abrahim Paul (18.65m) came second and third respectively.
'I am training in Finland. My season's best in 19.80 and personal best 19.20. I am not at my peak. I was moving good today, but I could not release the shot put properly. The ring is new and it is but slippery. I am hoping to stick around 20.50 to get a medal in Commonwealth Games,' Prakash said.
In men's 5000 metres, India took the first two spots -- Sandeep Bantham (14:15.50secs) and Ajay Kumar Patel (14.17.72secs). Agus Prayogo (14.22.60secs) of Indonesia won the bronze.
Shehan Sdaruwan Abepitiage of Sri Lanka won the men's 100 metre race, clocking 10.49secs. Hong Kong's Chiho Tusi (10.50secs) and Chun Ho Lai (10.63secs) won the silver and bronze medals.
In women's 100 metre, Guzel Khubbieva of Uzbekistan won gold with a timing of 11.63secs, followed by Maki Wada of Japan (11.87secs) and Yulia Gavrilova (11.91secs).
In women's high jump, Nadiya Dusanova of Uzbekistan won the gold with a leap of 1.95m while Anna Ustinova (1.93m) of Kazakhstan and Svetlana Radzivil (1.88m) of Uzbekistan came second and third.
In men's 1500 metre, Chaminda Indika Wijekoon of Sri Lanka (3:43.88secs) won gold. Artyom Kossininov (3.44.97secs) of Kazakhstan took silver while India's Chaitoli Hamza (3:48.03secs) got the silver.
Source: Web Search
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