Asian Athletics Championships | It rains silver for India on final day

India wins 8 silver at Asian Athletics Championships, finishes 3rd in medal table. Abha Khatau equalled national record in women's shot put, Jyothi Yarraji and Parul Chaudhary won silver in 200m and 5000m respectively. D.P. Manu grabbed a silver in javelin throw. India missed national record-holder Muhammed Anas in men's 4x400m relay, finished with silver.

India sorely missed national record-holder Muhammed Anas as it picked up a silver in the men’s 4x400m relay at the 25th Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok on Sunday.

And there was big disappointment in the women’s mile relay where India, the champion in the last five editions of the Asian Games, could manage just a bronze. Vietnam and Sri Lanka grabbed the brighter medals ahead of India.

After picking golds the last three days, there was a silver shower — eight of them — on the championships’ final day. And India finished third in the medals’ table with six gold, 12 silver and nine bronze. Japan and China took the first two spots.

The most surprising performance came from Abha Khatau, who equalled Manpreet Kaur’s national record of 18.06m while taking the women shot put silver. The 28-year-old, who could manage just 15.98, 16.57 and 16.39 in her last three competitions, improved her personal best by 89cms.

Jyothi Yarraji and Parul Chaudhary, who had won a gold each earlier, got a silver in the women’s 200m and 5000m respectively. Jyothi, the first Indian to win the 100m hurdles gold at the Asians, produced a personal best in the 200m on Sunday.

“I hope to improve and go below 23s soon,” said Jyothi.

Meanwhile javelin thrower D.P. Manu gabbed a silver with a last-round effort of 81.01m.