Jakarta, August 27: It was a double feast for India as Manjit Singh and Jinson Johnson claimed the gold and silver medals respectively in the men's 800m event at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on Monday (August 27).
The final was one that will be remembered for years as Manjit blazed through the final quarter of the race from the fifth position to comfortably take the gold in 1:46.15. Jinson saved his best for the last, shifting gears in the final 100m to skip from the fourth spot to the second in 1:46.35. Abubaker Abdalla of Qatar took the bronze medal in 1:46.38, while Abraham Rotich, who led for most part of the race, finished fifth behind Amir Moradi of Iran.
Asian Games special page | Medals tally
It was the third gold for India in athletics and ninth overall after 10 days of competition. Jinson's silver was India's 17th.
#TeamIndia at the #AsianGames2018
— Team India (@ioaindia) August 28, 2018
In an amazing climax in #Athletics Men's 800m Finals race, #ManjitSingh pulled out really smart tactics & a brave effort to win Gold No. 3 for #TeamIndia while #JinsonJhonson picked up the Silver No. 17. #WellDone boys 👏🥇🥈🇮🇳#IAmTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/zl68z26sIF
India saved its best for last, claiming the silver in the inaugural Mixed 4x400m Relay. Fielding Muhammed Anas, MR Poovamma, Hima Das and Arokia Rajiv (in order), the Indians came in 3:15.71, behind Bahrain, the runaway gold medallists in 3:11.89. Kazakhstan claimed the bronze in 3:19.52.
India and Bahrain went in with the right strategy with their men starting and finishing the run. Kazakhstan and fourth-placed China started with women first-up and handed over the baton to the medal over the last 400m.
This helped India gain a good momentum initially, which was then converted by the rest of the squad. Bahrain overtook India over the second 400m.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI), meanwhile, lodged a protest against Bahrain for causing obstruction to Hima Das during the 4x400 mixed relay.
The protest has been admitted by the jury of appeals which will give a ruling at 10am (local time) on Wednesday. "It was clear obstruction and we have lodged a protest. It also caused a minor injury to Hima. It cost us some time. The jury is there to see what happened," AFI President Adille Sumariwala said.
Earlier, Dutee Chand set herself up on course for a second Asian Games medal after qualifying for the women's 200m final but Hima Das suffered a heartbreak as she was disqualified for a false start.
Dutee, who won a silver in women's 100m dash, stormed into the final by winning the semifinal in personal best time of 23:00 seconds, which was faster than her qualification round timing. Dutee was in third position in the beginning but made up in the last 50m stretch to edge out Edidiong Odiong (23.01) and Lingwei Kong (23.32).
#TeamIndia at the #AsianGames2018
— Team India (@ioaindia) August 28, 2018
The #Athletics Women's 200m Semifinal heats ended with a twist. #DuteeChand qualifies to compete in the Finals of the Women's 200m race while #HimaDas stays out of the Finals, as she was adjudged 'disqualified' due to false start.#IAmTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/VlLIhwhJSd
Hima, the silver medallist in the women's 400m, lined up for the semifinal heat number two but had to make a premature exit due to a false start.
Dutee was faster than Hima in the qualifying, clocking 23.37, compared to 23.47 of the latter. In the National Inter-State Championships in June, Hima had won the 200m gold in 23.10 ahead of Dutee, who had clocked 23.41.
(With PTI inputs)