India's distance-running ace wins gold in 1500m; Dutee bags 200m bronze
PU Chitra defended her 1500m title to give India its third gold medal while Ajay Kumar Saroj and Dutee Chand won a silver and a bronze in men's 1500m and women's 200m respectively on the fourth and final day of the Asian Athletics Championships here yesterday.
Chitra overtook Bahraini runner Gashaw Tigest just a few metres before the finishing line to win the race in 4 minute 14.56 seconds at the Khalifa Stadium. This was India's third gold of the championships after Gomathi Marimuthu (women's 800m) and Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (men's shot put) won a yellow metal each on the second day on Monday.
Gashaw clocked 4:14.81 for the silver while another Bahraini Mutile Winfred Yavi took the bronze in 4:16.18. "Got a little nervous towards the end being next to Bahraini runner [Gashaw Tigest]. She beat me to third place in Asian Games. I had to push really hard in the end," said Chitra, 23, who had won a bronze in the Jakarta Asian Games.
Chitra had won gold in the 2017 edition in Bhubaneswar in 4:17.92. Her male counterpart, Saroj clocked a season best time of 3 minute 43.18 seconds to clinch a silver behind Bahrain's Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich who clocked 3:42.85. Dutee clocked 23.24 seconds to win the bronze in 200m.
Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and apps to get latest updates