The 23rd Doha 2019 Asian Athletics Championships was held from April 21-April 25 at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar.
Forty-three nations participated in the test event and India bagged a few gold, silver and bronze medals.
PU Chitra clinched gold in women’s 1500m at the event on Tuesday. She specialized in the 1500m distance and had won gold in different Asian tournaments. This gold medal opened her door to World Championships that is scheduled to take place later in the year.
“Got a little nervous towards the end being next to Bahraini runner (Gashaw Digest). She beat me to third place in Asian Games. I had to really push hard in the end,” she said to The Indian Express.
A national sprinter from Odisha, Dutee Chand had a slow start in the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships but eventually with her focused strategy she struck a bronze medal in the 200-meter sprint at Khalifa International Stadium. She has been receiving appreciation for achieving the podium finish in 23.24 seconds.
Just after finishing the race, Chand said to The Indian Express, “I am really very happy. I missed a medal in 100m & relay. I put too much effort into 100m, was not sure of a medal in 200m. Just did my best and I am happy.”
The fearless women relay team of India comprising Prachi, MR Poovamma, SaritabenGayakwad& VK Vismaya and the determined men relay team comprising Kunhu Md., KS Jeevan, Md. Anas&Arokia Rajiv clenched silver in 4×400. China gave a tough competition to India in the Lap 3 after which India won its 18th Medal in the tournament.
Ajay Kumar Saroj, who had entered athletics at the age of 15, also won silver in Men’s 1500m at Asian Athletics Championships.
International players namely, Bahrain’s SalwaNaser and Olga Safronova won gold medals in the test event at Doha.
India’s NavjeetDhillon and KamalpreetKaur finished at fourth and fifth positions respectively but did not receive any medal in women’s discus throw.
The sad part of the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships was when Indian athletes were disqualified in the men’s 4X400m race under rule 163.2 for impeding other athletes.
