Hangzhou Asian Games athletics | Avinash Sable becomes first Indian to win 3,000m steeplechase gold

Avinash Sable wins India's first gold in athletics at Asian Games in Hangzhou. Sudha Singh won gold in 2010. Swapna Barman, defending champion, struggles with injuries and finishes fourth. Nandini Agasara fifth. Amlan Borgohain third in 200m heats, Jyothi Yarraji fails to make cut for 200m final but in contention for 100m hurdles medal.

A record-breaking Avinash Sable on October 1 became the first Indian man to win a gold medal in 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

The 29-year-old national record holder thus earned India its first gold medal in athletics at the ongoing Games, completing the race in 8:19.50 seconds.

Sable rewrote the previous Asian Games record of 8:22.79 held in the name of Iran's Hossein Keyhani set at the 2018 Jakarta Games.

Sudha Singh had won a gold in women's 3000m steeplechase in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Earlier, the toast of the nation in the last edition, Indian heptathlete Swapna Barman's one "last shot" at glory at the Asian Games turned into a nightmare as she struggled with injuries to virtually go out of medal reckoning after the javelin throw event.

The defending champion, who boasts of a personal best of 52.55m in javelin throw, managed a throw of just 45.13 in the penultimate event of the gruelling two-day competition.

Javelin throw was one of the two events Swapna had won in 2018 en route to becoming the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold.