The anticipated gold rush on the final day of track and field action did not come about for India in the Asian Games on Friday.
The women's 4x400 metres relay team brought home the last gold for the country from the Guangdong Olympic Stadium while Preeja Sreedharan and Kavita Raut added a silver and a bronze each to the collection.
There were disappointments in triple jumper Renjith Maheswary and shot putter Om Prakash not getting among the medals. They were gold medal contenders who failed to rise to the occasion.
The marathons would be held on Saturday, the closing day of the Games.
Amidst the euphoria of getting its best tally, since the Busan Asian Games, of five gold, two silver and four bronze medals, India should not forget that a large number of athletes in a squad of 69 failed to come up to expectations.
In Doha India had nine medals including one gold, while in Busan in 2002, the country had 16 medals including seven gold.
Doubts
There could have been doubts about India's capacity to win its third straight gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay when Manjeet Kaur and Mandeep Kaur failed to get an individual medal in the 400 metres.
Mandeep said on Friday, after she confidently took the team home despite a spirited challenge from 400m champion Olga Tereshkova, running the anchor for Kazakhstan, that she had suffered a chest infection after the Commonwealth Games and had missed training. Manjeet also was indisposed, according to coaches.
The quartet of Manjeet, Sini Jose, A.C. Ashwini and Mandeep clocked 3:29.02, not one of the better timings by Indian teams in recent years but good enough for the gold.
Kazakhstan (3:30.03) and China (3:30.89) took the lesser medals.
Ashwini, whose second gold it was in these Games, said the Commonwealth Games final was a little tougher than this one though, with the home crowd backing, it was an enjoyable experience in Delhi.
The Kazakhs could have given a harder time here had not Tereshkova run almost the entire final 200 metres on the outside, hoping to go wide of Mandeep in order to overtake her rival.
Mandeep had to really struggle in the end, but she managed to put in her best on the straight.
Preeja Sreedharan tried to chase down Bahrain's Mimi Belete through the finishing straight but found the former Ethiopian too strong a sprinter in the 5000 metres.
The Indians having cornered gold and silver on the opening day in the 10,000 metres there were hopes that there could be a repeat.
Preeja and Kavita Raut kept close to the leading bunch of Japanese and Bahraini runners till the final 250 metres when Kavita tried to break free.
Quick response
Belete responded quickly. From 200 metres to the finish, she started pulling away with Kavita and Preeja in pursuit.
Preeja dashed past Kavita on the straight but despite a Herculean effort she could not catch up with a woman who has clocked a PB of 4:00.25 for the 1500 metres only this season. Belete had a PB for this race also, 15:15.59.
Preeja and Kavita sliced around 30 seconds off their PBs by clocking 15:15.89 and 15:16.54 for the silver and bronze.
Preeja said she had responded quickly enough to the Bahrain athlete's move but her best effort was not sufficient to bridge the gap.
Renjith Maheswary led the field in the fourth round with a 16.76 after having done 16.09, 16.33 and 16.18 in triple jump.
Kazakh Evegeniy Ektov came up with a 16.86 in the fifth round to take the lead.
Chinese Li Yanxi, the Asian record-holder, answered with a 16.94 that turned out to be the gold-winning mark.
From lead to bronze, Renjith was further pushed down by the second Chinese, Cao Shuo, who had a 16.84 in the last round. Renjith's fifth and sixth jumps were 16.71 and 16.32.
He had touched 17.07 for a National record and the bronze in CWG and there was hope that he would strike again.
Let down
Om Prakash (fourth with 19.17) and Saurabh Vij (sixth, 18.98) were great disappointments in shot put which was won by continental record-holder Sultan Abdulmajeed Al-Habshi of Saudi Arabia at 20.57m, a season best, on his last attempt.
Keywords: Asian Games 2010
I want to congratulate these four angels for bringing happiness to all Indians,we are proud of you,and the moment you looked at the tri-colour flag in the background of the national anthem was really great scene for India. Thanks
Undoubtedly Ashwini is the best runner in view. The grace, fluidity and ease of movement and the beautiful long strides, balance and acceleration at every step is a remarkable and awesome site to behold. Not in many years we have seen such an athlete in India. She is a rare find and God willing a star on the world stage.
I was incorrect when in my previous mail to this article I stated Ashwini Akkunji to be the only double gold medalist of the Games. Somdev is another double gold medalist, gold in both singles and doubles of Tennis events. Apologies to you Som, somehow in spite of all your toil and performances for the nation, you remain our uncelebrated hero.
Congrats to all winners who made India proud in China with our Flag flying high. At the same time we need to encourage/motivate those like Tintu Luca, Renjith and others for the next Olympics and Asiad. The Ministers, Coaches, Organisers need to take care of these people also as there is a high potential among them. We saw Tintu's house and living conditions in TV show, really in a low profile who is running in international arena.She was unable to cope up with the last few meters only. Otherwise she is strong enough to compete. So lets not ignore the others who did not get medals.
I was really hoping for Maheshwary and 4x100 men's team to go for yellow medal. But 5 gold does show the depth of Indian athletics at least at Asian level. On the day some will perform and some not, but its the depth which let you still claim top position. Same was true for Boxing where 9 Indians made to semifinal, 5 to finals and finally 2 got Gold.
india lost two golds for not sending cricket team in the games.BCCI is responsible for this.
What a Fabulous quartet. The foursome have given the Indian Crowds immense satisfaction and great pride by the way they run to keep the flag flying...One can imagine the hardwork and determination that went into their preparations, braving all those odds one knows Indian athletes face in a corrupt and unscientific system, and yet coming out with such tenacious performances to make the citizens proud. Hats off to them ! No doubt the fighting spirit displayed brings tears of joy to many an Indian eye and provide tremendous inspiration to multitude of youngsters who would follow in their footsteps. Aswini, Mandeep, Sini and Manjit should be richly rewarded and their hardwork recognised by the Governments/ Corporates. And the same goes to the stellar show of Preeza Sreedharan, a little but tenacious brave-heart. Keep-up the good work, ladies! We are all so proud of you..
Well dome my Golden Girls. Pls keep it up for Coming Olympics in England-2012.
My India wins! Great run by the Indian girls - we are proud of you!.
Please do not forget that Somdev Dev Varman is also a double gold medal winner at these Asian Games. He won in the singles as well as the doubles events. Congratulations to all winners and hearty encouragement to all members of the Indian contingent for more success next time.
It is ironical that more popular sports like track and field, boxing, wrestling, badminton etc are not getting adequate sponsors, while cricket is getting all the sponsors. I mean, look at the commonwealth games, lakhs of people turned up for watching track and field events. There is something very wrong in perception. I will blame the media for this flaw in perception.
Congrats Ashwini, Sini, Mandeep and Manjit for winnning Gold Medal twice. State and Central govt. should give proper encouragement,recognition, support and help .
Congratulations to the relay team .
Congratulaions to the members of the team.
Salute to all of the four Indian girls, who are trying to pull India on the top of world in athletics. Millions of congratulations.I LOVE MY INDIA.
Proud moment for India, Well done girls.
Jindabaad!!
Hats Off to Golden Girls for they have made India Proud ! Keep it up to grab more to come...
Congratulations to Ashwini, Sini, Mandeep and Manjit for winnning Gold Medal twice in two months and for making all Indians proud yet again. Great job done Golden way!
Hearty congratulations to 4 Indian girls and their great achivement . Move to get gold in Olympics!
Hats off to the quartret for repeating it within two months. They deserve nation's recognition and admiration over and above the petty politicians and beaurocrats running the sport associations. Now I hope someone don't corner them in photoshoot after their return to home.
Ashwini Akkunji Chidananda Shetty is undoubtedly the Indian star of Asian Games 2010 given the way she won the gold in her individual event of 400 m hurdles and the way she anchored India to another gold in the 4 x 400 m relay. She is the only Indian double gold medalist of the games. Hats of to her and the other members of the quartet for their consistent show!
They are great. Now onto the world stage.
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