India's Parul Chaudhary and Priti secured silver and bronze medals respectively in the women's 3000m steeplechase but they were left chasing the shadow of Bahrain's Yavi Winfred Mutile, who set an Asian Games record on way to defending her title in Hangzhou on Monday. (Medal Tally | Schedule | Full Coverage | Sports News)
Parul clocked 9:27.63 seconds, which was more than nine seconds behind the Bahrain runner who to꧂ok the top podium finish in 9:18.28, a new Games record.
The previous Games record stood in the name of country-mate Jebet Ruth (9:31.36 sec) set during the 201𒉰4 Asian Games in Incheon, South𒁏 Korea.
Though Parul also breached the Asian Ga🍸mes record, it was nowhere close to her national record and personal best of 9:15.31 clocked at the World Championships in Budapest, which helped her qualify for the Paris Olympics, in August.
Compatriot Priti finished a good 16 seconds behind Parul, clocking 🎶a personal best of 9:43.32 seconds to win the bronze in a close finish with another Bahrain runner Mekonen Tigest Getent, who timed 9:43.71 seconds to finish fourth.
Yavi began to pull away in the sixth lap of 🔯the gruelling race, making Parul look like an underpowered engine.
The Kenyan-born Bahrain runner, who won the 2023 World Athletics Championships gold in the event beating country-mate Beatrice Chepkoech, finiꦫshed at least 50 metres ahead of the 28-year-old Parul.
In men's 200m, Ind♋ia's Amlan Borgohain finished a 🍸distant sixth in 20.98 seconds.
The gold was won by Japan's Koki Ueyama in 20.60 seconds, 💜which was way below the Asian Games record of 20.14 seconds set in Inch❀eon by Qatar's Femi Ogunode.
Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Abdullah A✨bkar clinched the silver medal with a time of 20.63, while the bronze went to Chinese Taipei's Yang Chun-Han who clocked 20.74 seconds.
