Asian Games 2023: Annu Rani becomes first Indian women to win gold in javelin, athletes bag six medals on October 3

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Asian Games Javelin: Annu Rani on Tuesday (October 3) created history by winning a gold medal in women's javelin throw in the ongoing 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

The 31-year-old athlete from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, secured the prestigious medal by producing a season-best effort of 62.92m in her fourth attempt. Sri Lankan Nadeesha Dilhan and China's Huihui Lyu claimed silver and bronze with efforts of 61.57 and 61.29 respectively.

Asian Games 2023: Annu Rani swells India's medal tally

With Annu Rani's gold medal finish, India's medal tally swelled to 15 gold medals, which is just one short of their best-ever performance in 2018 when Indian athletes topped the podium on 16 occasions in the continental extravaganza.

Asian Games Women's 5000m: Parul Chaudhary bags first prize

Earlier in the day, long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary made the country proud by winning a gold medal in the women's 3000m race, taking India's gold medal tally to 15. India has won 69 medals (15 gold, 26 silver, 28 bronze) so far in the competition.

Indian athletes had another memorable day in track and field athletics as they won a total of six medals in athletics on the tenth day of the quadrennial competition. The 28-year-old Parul was behind Japan's Ririka Hironaka in the closing stage but stunned her rival with a stunning dash in the final 40 meters to claim the yellow metal with a timing of 15:14.75.

The stunning performance earned Parul her second medal in the ongoing 19th season of the competition after claiming a silver in the women's 3000m Steeplechase on Monday (October 2). Kazakhtan's Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui won the bronze clocking 15:23.12. Asian Games 2023: Parul Chaudhary and Priti Lamba Secure Silver and Bronze in 3000m Steeplechase

Praveen Chitharavel & Tejaswin Shankar clinch Asian Games Silver

Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath and Praveen Chitharavel also made India proud, securing silver and bronze in men's 800m and triple jump with efforts of 1:48.43s and 16.68m respectively.

Tejaswin Shankar secured a silver in the men's decathlon with a national record of 7666 points, following a fourth-place finish in the 1500m -- the final event of the physically demanding competition. It was India's first men's decathlon medal since 1974.

Vithya Ramraj wins second medal in Asian Games

Vithya Ramraj, 25, came up with a timing of 55.68s to claim a bronze medal in women's 400m hurdles. It wasn't her best show but it was good enough to secure a third-place finish.

Bahrain's Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya produced a Games record of 54.45s and Jaidie Mo of China came up with a season-best of 55.01 to claim the gold and silver respectively.

The Indian had equalled PT Usha's 400m hurdle national record, which was set in 1984, with a personal best effort of 55.52s to top her heat and directly qualify for the final on Monday.

Ramraj was also part of the Indian quartet, including Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Rajesh Ramesh, and Subha Venkatesan, that had won the bronze in mixed team 4x400m relay before it was upgraded to silver on Monday after Sri Lanka's disqualification for lane infringement.

In men's 400m hurdles, Yashas Palaksha (49.39) and Santhosh Kumar (49.41) finished fifth and sixth respectively in the final. In the women's high jump final, Pooja and Rubina Yadav ended their campaign in the sixth and ninth positions respectively.

(With PTI inputs)