Asian Games 2023: Parul Chaudhary gets gold, Vithya Ramraj bags bronze

Indian sprinter Parul Chaudhary created history by clinching gold in the women’s 5000m race to become the third Indian track and field athlete to do so, in ongoing Asian Games 2023. She has already bagged a silver medal in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, yesterday.

Parul Chaudhary started the 5000m final with a cautioned beginning staying at the back of the lead pack. Eventually, the race came down at the end to the top two Ririka Hironaka of Japan and Parul trailing behind her. As they rounded the final bend, it seemed Ririka Hironka had enough of a lead to win gold, but Parul Chaudhary produced a stunning sprint with about 30 meters left, overtaking her opponent within a few meters before the finishing line, and claimed the gold medal.

Hangzhou Asian Games: India's Parul Chaudhary wins gold medal in Women's 5000-metre race

Photo source: Athletics Federation of India (AFI) pic.twitter.com/oxyHWYM2qN

— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2023

Parul Chaudhary had a timing of 15:14.75, as Hironaka managed 15:15.34 and Caroline Chepkoech finished with a timing of 15:23.12 to grab bronze.

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 in Women's 5000m at #HangzhouAsianGames with a thrilling last-gasp push 🤯🙌

The #TeamIndia athlete overtook 🇯🇵's Ririka Horonaka in the final few seconds to secure 🔝 spot 🤩 #AsianGames2023 #Athletics #Cheer4India #SonyLIV pic.twitter.com/WKqFT39d5j

— Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) October 3, 2023

Vithya Ramraj wins 400m hurdles bronze

Earlier in the day, India’s Vithya Ramraj won a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles after clocking 55.68 seconds at the 19th Asian Games on Tuesday. Ramraj equalled the legendary PT Usha’s 39-year-old national record of 55.42 seconds in the 400m hurdles heat.

This is Ramraj’s second medal in the Asian Games as she won a silver in the 4x400m relay mixed event along with Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Rajesh Ramesh, and Subha Venkatesant.

India’s Vithya Ramraj wins 🥉 in the women's 400m hurdles with a timing of 55.68 seconds at the 19th Asian Games. #AsianGames | #IndiaAtAsianGames | #RoadToParis2024 pic.twitter.com/68TyP9iZDb

— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) October 3, 2023

Oluwakemi Mujidat of Bahrain won the gold, breaking the Games Record of 55.09, while China’s Mo Jiadie won silver with a season’s best of 55.01 in 400m hurdles.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Yashas Palaksha ( 49.39s) and Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan (49.41s) failed to secure a position on podium and finished fifth and sixth, respectively