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The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
All or nothing: The Asian Championships through the eyes of Tejaswin Shankar
I landed in South Korea two days before the decathlon. It was my first time this far east — the farthest I'd ever been from home — and I could feel a quiet sense of anticipation building up inside me. My body felt good, my mind was calm, and for once, there were no lingering injuries like the one I carried into the Nationals. Spirits were high. We were staying in a beautiful facility. And the best part? Everyone had their own room. For someone like me — who tends to travel with half a sporting goods store — this was a blessing. Ten spikes, a javelin, discus, tape, massage balls, recovery tools… you name it, I had it. My room was an organised mess, but it was my own little corner of controlled chaos. Just how I like it. The Indian team was a fresh mix of new energy. I had trained with some of them at the pre-Asians camp in Thiruvananthapuram about three weeks earlier, but this group felt different. Passionate, intense, expressive — this new generation of Indian athletes is something else. They're there to win, and they wear their hearts on their sleeves. But they also know how to have fun, how to laugh, and how to lift each other up. There was an energy about them that made me proud to be part of this transition. Since my competition started on the 27th of May, I did my pre-meet shake-out on the 26th. I felt springy, sharp, and ready. I caught up with a few friends from other countries — the usual pre-meet chats about training, competitions, and how the season's been going. One of my favourite things about international meets is the sense of belonging. This is our tribe. We may be from different places, but we speak the same language — the language of the sport, of pushing limits, of purpose. A lot has changed since my first senior international in 2015. Back then, physios and doctors were few and far between. Now, our support staff is a core part of the Indian team experience. The physios, coaches, and doctors work relentlessly behind the scenes. And even the coaches, who once primarily raised their voices to correct us, now offer calm encouragement and insight. The culture has matured. There's a shared goal now — to win medals, yes, but also to support each other as professionals. It felt fresh and meaningful. Sharing stories: 'I always make it a point to speak to as many people as I can in the warm-up area — not because I'm overly social, but because I'm curious. I like to know what people are up to, and honestly, I enjoy a little masala' | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement I always make it a point to speak to as many people as I can in the warm-up area — not because I'm overly social, but because I'm curious. I like to know what people are up to, and honestly, I enjoy a little masala. It helps me feel grounded and human before the chaos of competition. That day, I bumped into the distance crew — Gulveer (Singh) and his gang — mellow as ever, quietly doing their thing in endless loops. Then, in stark contrast, were the 4x100m boys: loud, wild, full of energy. In a surprising twist, the usually boisterous throwers like Yashveer (Singh), Samardeep (Singh Gill), and Sachin (Yadav) were unusually quiet, focused on their work. And then there's my personal favourite duo: Pooja and Abhinaya (Rajarajan) — the firebrand next-gen of Indian athletics. Bubbly, expressive, full of energy, and always chatting. Their energy is contagious. After a good warm-up, some laughs, and a lot of banter, I reminded myself: 'You still have to compete tomorrow.' So, I made my way back to the hotel, full of warmth from the team but ready to crawl into my cocoon. My small core team had arrived by then — Wayne (S&C), Siddhi (wife), Avantika (sister), and Devesh (friend). We had a quick team meeting that night to go over logistics. Wayne handled my supplements and recovery protocols, Devesh was in charge of food and logistics for the day, Siddhi and Avantika were responsible for shoe changes, videography, and coaching cues during events. Everyone had a role, and they played it perfectly. That night was all about quiet preparation. Laying out the shoes, recovery tools, clothes, equipment, and food for the day. I had already done a venue recce the morning before, so I knew exactly where everything was. After dinner, I said my good-nights and turned off the lights by 9 pm. I had to be up at 5 am the next day — the decathlon was waiting. I went to bed, ready to compete, mind buzzing with the possibilities the next day might hold. I woke up, I felt fresh and energetic. But just as I was about to get out of bed, I glanced at the clock. 12 a.m. What? Only three hours of sleep. I thought the whole night had passed. From that point on, I was wide awake — not with panic, but with relentless thought. Nothing I did could lull me back to sleep. Just thoughts, thoughts, and more thoughts. This wasn't new; it's happened to me before, especially before big meets. So, I didn't panic. But I needed to sleep — and that was the one thing I couldn't force. Twisting and turning, counting imaginary sheep and permutations, I mentally simulated the decathlon a hundred different ways. If I do this in long jump, then that will happen in 400m… if I nail high jump, I can afford this in javelin... It just wouldn't stop. Finally, somewhere around 4:30, I dozed off — only for my alarm to go off at 5. Showtime. Behind the scenes: From Tejaswin's core team, S&C trainer Wayne handles his supplements and recovery protocols, while his wife Siddhi and sister Avantika are responsible for shoe changes, videography, and coaching cues during events. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement ************************************************ DAY 1 I had to be up — give my body at least four hours to wake up before the 9 am start. I did my morning routine, grabbed the bag I had packed the night before, picked up six 1-litre bottles of water, and headed down for breakfast. Forced down a meal at 6 am., chased it with a few cups of coffee to kick-start this diesel engine I had become, and reached the track by 7:15. Decathlon warm-ups are different. I prefer to do one long, comprehensive warm-up at the start of the day to save energy between events. That way, all I need before each event is a short activation — and I'm good to go. The sun was already glaring — way too bright for that time. The birds were chirping. The athletes were buzzing around the warm-up track. And then: 'First call for men's decathlon 100m.' Nerves? Under control. Body? Felt fast, sharp. But something was off. I wasn't excited. This moment — nine months of preparation, sacrifice, blood and sweat — and I would rather be in bed? That was odd. But there is no time for introspection. Time to execute. We lined up in the call room. Usually, I'm buzzing before the 100m. It sets the tone for the two days. A fast, snappy start tells me I'm ready. The gun went off — I felt a slightly sluggish start, but powered through the drive phase, hit top-end speed. Usually by this time, guys are pulling up on me. But not today. I was ahead of everyone except him — Yuma from Japan, reigning Asian champ, and one of the few Asians to have ever crossed 8000 points. I crossed the line right behind him, glanced at the clock, expecting at least a 10.9. 11.2. What??? I was stunned. I'd run faster with a groin injury four weeks ago. And now, at 100%, this? But decathlon teaches you one thing — analyse later. For now, stay composed. You have to separate yourself from your emotions between events. That's what makes a decathlete. Before I could even blink, we were at long jump — switched spikes, warmed up. Three jumps. You must register a mark. First jump — 7.28m. A solid start, but Siddhi told me I was a shoe-length behind the board. I had more in the tank. Second jump — 7.29m. Third jump — also close. But not the 7.40m I had trained for. Not even close to the 7.37m I jumped while injured. Tejaswin greets Yuma on the field. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Something wasn't clicking. Panic started creeping in. My strongest events were slipping. And it's not like I could make it up later — discus, vault... there's a ceiling to how much I can claw back there. Shot put was next. I was spiralling. Legs jittery, hands shaky, mind in chaos. My competitors were all over 13m. My first two throws? 12.80, 12.81. One throw left. The pressure was enormous. Another bad event and I'm out of medal contention. See, I'm not a balanced decathlete. My strength is Day 1. That's where I build my lead. Day 2? It's more about damage control. If I don't build that cushion on Day 1, I'm toast. So, I stood in the circle. One last throw. I took a breath. This is it. Either I crumble, or I fight. Glide. Explode. GRUNT. 13.79m. A new PB. I was back! Next was high jump — but I had two hours to reset. I dug around, trying to understand what was going wrong. Came across something called 'pre-start fever' — a psychological condition due to stress and nerves that mimics fatigue. Pair that with my three hours of sleep. Probably explains it. Wayne and I made a plan. Lunch. Contrast shower — 30 seconds hot, 30 seconds ice, repeat 4–5 times. Caffeine. Nap. Wake up. High jump warm-up. It worked. I crashed for 45 minutes. Best thing that happened that day. I woke up fresh, sharp. The PB in shot put had lit a fire. I felt like myself again. High jump is my bread and butter. It's where I must gain ground. If I miss here, I'm a sitting duck on Day 2. I opened at 2.01m — after most had bowed out. Cleared it easily. Then 2.04, 2.07, 2.10, 2.13, 2.16, 2.19 — all first attempts. At one point, I saw Gulveer start the 10K. Between jumps, I clapped and cheered. It helped distract my mind — my little mental trick. But… okay, this may sound un-athlete-like: the 10K got annoying. The track was swarming with skinny distance runners. Every jump, I had to look left and right, make sure no one was running through. Still, 2.19m was a season best. I went for 2.22m — just missed it. As I took my last attempt, Gulveer crossed the finish. I was thrilled for him — but secretly wished the race had been scheduled differently. That 2.22m was within reach. (Sorry, Gulveer. I made up for it later by screaming my lungs out for the 5K.) Last event of Day 1: the dreaded 400m. One lap of pain. I remembered legendary coach Clive Hart's 4 Ps of the 400m — Push for the first 100, Pace the next 100, Position yourself the next 100, Pray the last 100. I nailed the first three… but forgot to pray. That last 100m hit like a truck. 50.10. Not a bad score at the end of Day 1. But the real test? Morning of Day 2. When you have to hurdle over hip-height barriers that suddenly feel like Mt. Everest. So post-400m: recovery mode. Massage, ice bath, food, compression gear, activation. In bed early. Slept like a rock. ************************************************ DAY 2 I woke up feeling much better. Body ached like I got hit by a bus — which is completely normal. If you can crawl out of bed, you're good to go. Breakfast. Bags packed. Time to go again. Charging ahead: Tejaswin (second from right) started Day 2 with a near-perfect hurdles race. | Photo Credit: Asian Athletics Hurdles were up first. The most unforgiving event when you're tired. I needed a solid race to create a cushion before vault. I was dialled in. But warm-ups dragged. Heat 1 was delayed. Then I saw a crowd, medical personnel, stretchers. Heard whispers. Yuma had fallen. The reigning champ. who was second in the standings — breathing down my neck. For a second, I thought I had gold locked. But I knew better. Without Yuma, silver was a realistic goal. If everything went right, maybe even gold. As I was getting ready for my race, I saw him come out, neck-brace on. Concussed. Walking out, ready to run hurdles. I couldn't believe it. This event is hard with full senses. He was about to do it while concussed. I put the focus back on me. Ran a near-perfect race — 14.58 — and extended my lead. Yuma? 14.53. Next up was discus. Now this one — this one always gets to me. My relationship with the discus is like that of two old friends who respect each other but rarely get along. I've worked on it, I've refined my technique, I've visualised it a hundred times — but still, every time I step into that ring, I'm not quite sure which version of me is going to show up. I wasn't expecting miracles. I just needed to hold my ground. My warm-up throws were decent — not amazing, but enough to give me hope. My first attempt went out to 36. Second attempt — a bit more aggressive — landed around 37. I knew it was safe, not a PR, but enough. Enough to move on. Then came pole vault — the monster in my story. The event I had dreaded the most. I had been training, working on my run-up, on getting more consistent, but let's face it — it's still a relatively weak event for me. Especially when you're trying to survive among men who are clearing 4.70–4.90m on autopilot. I opened low at 3.80m and cleared it easily. That gave me a little boost. Then 3.90m — again, clean. I tried 4.00m to see if I could sneak in a little buffer but missed all three. Still, I was still very much in contention. The medal equation was now real. At this point, it wasn't just about competing. It was about surviving with enough juice left for javelin and the 1500m. Now going into javelin, we had five guys fighting for three medals, and I was sitting in third. Still, I believed I could win gold. I was feeling great — javelin had been coming along well in training, and I knew I had one of the strongest 1500m races in the field. Remember how shot put went? Two bad throws and then one big heave that changed everything? Javelin was the exact opposite. My first throw — as soon as it left my arm — I knew it was a personal best. It landed cleanly around 56 or 57 meters. I pumped my fist… but the joy was short-lived. I had barely — just barely — stepped over the foul line. It wouldn't count. Now I had two throws left, and my best throw wasn't measured. In the zone: Tejaswin in action during the javelin throw event of the decathlon. | Photo Credit: Asian Athletics The second throw was more conservative, more controlled — it only went 50 meters. And suddenly, I wasn't just thinking about gold slipping away. I was staring at the possibility of finishing outside the medals altogether. The other guys chasing the podium had strong throws lined up. My third and final throw: 51 meters. Not enough. It would all come down to the 1500m. By the time a decathlete reaches the final event, you're running on fumes. Forty-eight hours of emotional highs and lows, two sleepless nights, your body wrecked. At that point, it's not about fitness — it's about grit. It's about willpower.\ We were all in the combined events area waiting for the 1500m, and the mood was tense. Everyone was quiet, in their heads, calculating the permutations — times, medals, margins. Bags were packed. Nothing more to do but run. And then, the skies opened. A torrential downpour — not a drizzle, not a shower, but a full-on tropical storm. It was so bad the organisers stopped the women's 10,000m race mid-run. I've never seen that in my life — not even in a school meet. It felt surreal. Luckily, the rain let up just in time for our start. No delay. We were ready to be done. With Yuma having pulled out earlier due to injury, four of us remained in medal contention: India, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The equation was clear. For India to medal, I just had to finish ahead of Taiwan and Japan. For India to win gold, I had to beat the Chinese athlete by 10 seconds. It was an easy decision: all or nothing. I already had a medal from the last edition. This time, only gold would be enough to cap off the Asian Championships the way I had dreamed. Before the race, I made a point to thank every decathlete. Once this race ended, we would all go our separate ways — but until then, we were brothers. Win or lose, we had fought together. And I was grateful. The race began. I surged to the front right from the gun. I was going for it. My legs started dying around the 1km mark, but my spirit was soaring. I was running for something bigger than points — for the effort, for the journey, for the people who had carried me here. In the last event of the decathlon, the 1500m, Tejaswin clocked 4:37, missing the overall gold by 3 seconds. | Photo Credit: Asian Athletics I crossed the line in 4:37 and turned around, eyes locked on the track. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7 seconds. The Chinese athlete crossed. I needed 10. I had missed gold by 3 seconds — just 16 points. But in that moment, that wasn't what I thought about first. My instinct was to embrace every single athlete at the finish line. They were all winners — not winners of medals, but conquerors of their own fear, doubts, and inner demons that haunted us across these two days. My silver was confirmed. After the usual photos with the national flag, a few minutes with my support team, the Indian coaches, and the athletes who cheered me on, I returned to the resting area. As I sat down, processing it all, my thoughts drifted to Yuma — lying quietly in a corner with his team doctors. He wasn't in pain from injury — it was the heartbreak. A gold medal that should've been his, taken not by a competitor, but by fate. I realised then: my medal wasn't complete without acknowledging his impact. I wrote him a letter — not just for him, but for myself. To thank him. For pushing me. For being the standard. For reminding me that real heroes don't wear capes. They fight. And whether they win or lose, they leave it all on the field. ************************************************ DAY 3 ' Avinash Sable cruise to a dominant gold in the steeplechase — so smooth, so in control.' | Photo Credit: Asian Athletics My competition was over. The emotions had settled, the celebrations were done, and my body was in a million pieces — but my soul was content. Yet the Asian Championships were far from finished. For TJ the athlete, yes — but not for TJ the lifelong track and field lover. I took the next morning off to rest, but by the evening, I was back at the stadium. Watching. Cheering. Supporting. Living the sport in its purest form. ************************************************ DAY 4 The very next day, the men's high jump final was scheduled. India's brightest hope, Sarvesh, was competing, and I was there, loud and proud in support. But equally important was witnessing Sanghyeok Woo perform in front of his home crowd in Korea. What a show he put on — every jump felt like a celebration of sport. Later that evening, I watched Avinash Sable cruise to a dominant gold in the steeplechase — so smooth, so in control. And then came Jyothi Yarraji's incredible gold in the hurdles. Her surge between hurdles 7 to 10 was a masterclass in both technique and tenacity. She didn't just win — she snatched it. There were many unforgettable moments, but two stand out. One was the night of the women's high jump final. That morning, I got a message from Pooja — 'You better be at the stadium tonight.' I even got a call from her coach, Balwan Singh reminding me. Pooja, to me, is the next big thing in Indian athletics. She's fearless. As she moved through her warm-up, I noticed something different. Gone was the pronounced hop in the middle of her approach. Instead, she was attacking the curve with a speed and rhythm I hadn't seen before. I walked up to her and said, 'The only thing that can come between you and a medal is you yourself. Keep doing what you're doing — you've got this.' Pooja bagged gold in high jump, becoming the youngest Asian champion from India. | Photo Credit: Asian Athletics She didn't need me after that. She didn't need anyone. Her coach had done his job. And she was ready. A double personal best at just 18 and a continental title? That's not potential — that's power. That's presence. That's a flex. The second moment was quieter — but just as powerful. It was the night before the men's javelin final. I had just returned to the hotel after Pooja's competition, and when I connected to Wi-Fi, I saw multiple missed calls from Sachin Yadav's physio. I called back immediately. 'Nothing urgent,' he said, 'but Sachin wants to talk.' When Sachin came to my room, he looked calm on the outside. He's a towering guy — even taller than me — but I could see the nerves in his eyes. This was his first big international meet. Expectations were high. Pressure was heavy. Before he could even say anything, I said, 'Let's go get ice cream.' That was it. No motivational speeches. No deep strategy. Just a breather. A small moment to forget the weight of the world and remember that he belongs here. ************************************************ DAY 5 The next day? He launched a monster. Just centimetres shy of beating the Olympic champion. It wasn't just a medal, but it was a statement: he's coming. Sachin Yadav launched a 'monster' in javelin throw, just centimeters shy off gold medallist Arshad Nadeem. | Photo Credit: Asian Athletics The one thing I truly realised at this Asian Championships is that the Indian athletics team of this decade feels very different. I saw myself in transition — from being the young rookie who made senior teams at 17, like Pooja is now, to becoming one of the older guys in the squad at 27. But one thing hasn't changed: my intention has always been to go out of my way to make the younger ones feel welcome. Because I remember what it was like to be in their shoes a few years back — unsure if I belonged, quietly doubting myself. The truth is, if you've made the team, you've already done something right. You do belong. And sometimes, reminding someone of that doesn't take a motivational speech. Sometimes, it's as simple as showing up, sharing space, and grabbing an ice cream. I'm genuinely excited about the kind of athletes coming out of India right now — brave, talented, and hungry. This isn't a one-off. This is just the beginning for Indian athletics. Related Topics Asian Athletics Championships
Hindustan Times
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Asian Athletics Championships 2025 double gold medallist, Gulveer Singh: Hope medals get me the recognition I deserve!
India's new hero is on track now! Long-distance runner Gulveer Singh has had a sensational double gold win at the recent Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. At just 26, claiming top honours in both the 10,000m and 5,000m races, Singh has also rewritten history by smashing a decade-old meet record; by clocking 13:24.77 to set a new Championship Record in the 5k distance race, on Friday. A Naib Subedar in Indian Army, Gulveer's victories are a reflection of years of grit and single-minded dedication. 'Maine apne talent ke oopar poori shiddat ke saath kaam kara hai aur kabhi aasan rasta nahi dhoonda,' he says, adding, 'My focus has been only on what I do on the track, and while doing that I have sacrificed on everything else. That is what had given me the confidence before the tournament that I will win multiple medals for India.' Yet, even with medals gleaming around his neck, Gulveer, who also holds the national record in both the 5k and 10k metres, remains honest while sharing a feeling of unfulfilled recognition, 'Par abhi bhi main woh izzat aur samman dhoondh raha hun... Har athlete chahta hai ki uski mehnat aur achievements desh ke naam ho aur uska desh uska har kadam pe poora saath de. I hope these medals finally get me the recognition I deserve!' Born in Uttar Pradesh's Sirsa village, Aligarh district, Gulveer remembers growing up with a simple dream of serving the country in the Army. His vision came true in 2018 when he was recruited in the Force, but it was within the Army that his hidden gift for long-distance running was discovered. In 2021, coach Yunus Khan from the Army Sports Institute spotted his potential, and his life changed forever. 'Mera sapna Army mein jaane ke tha. I just wanted to be there at the front for my nation. Par fir main running karne laga, Yunus sir ke under. Unhone mujhe bahut kuch sikhaya bataya aur aaj bhi woh mere saath khade hain. My coach is big part of my career and life,' he shares. Gulveer's rise has been steady, and he is not letting go of the momentum just yet since his eyes are not set on dominating the world stage. 'Mera sapna hai iss saal World Championships mein bhi medal jeetna. After that, I want to perform well at both the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games next year. And of course, LA 2028 is the ultimate dream,' he says expressing how he's serving the country in his own way.
United News of India
31-05-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
Reliance Foundation athletes shine in Asian Athletics Championships 2025
Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) In a historic run by Indian athletes at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 held in Gumi, Republic of Korea, athletes supported by Reliance Foundation delivered their best-ever performance, claiming a total of five medals — three golds, one silver, and one bronze — contributing significantly to India's second-place finish overall with 24 medals – the country's best-ever showing at the Championships. Hailing the performance of all the participating athletes, James Hillier, Athletics Director, Reliance Foundation said, "We had 10 of our athletes participating in the competition and Gulveer really stole the show with his double gold (5000m & 10000m). Jyothi also did amazingly well in the hurdles in extremely difficult conditions, kept her composure and defended her title." "In the women's long jump, Ancy Sojan kept her cool by being a brilliant competitor and winning the silver medal with a mature performance. Animesh's bronze medal reflects the investment we have made in sprints and this is the third time this year that he broke the national record, so it was a great performance from him,' Hillier said. 'Overall, it was a massive effort from all our athletes out there and it's heartening to see us win medals across all centres in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Odisha in sprint, hurdles, jumps and long distance,' he added. Leading the charge was long-distance runner Gulveer Singh, who scripted history by clinching double gold in the 5000m and 10000m, including a new championship record of 13:24.77s in the 5000m. Gulveer became the first Indian athlete since 2017 to win both events in the same edition of the Championships. Meanwhile, Jyothi Yarraji, India's ace hurdler and reigning Asian champion, defended her title in the 100m hurdles with a season-best time of 12.96s, breaking the championship record under challenging weather conditions. Ecstatic after his achievement in the Championships, Odisha Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre athlete Animesh Kujur quoted, 'I'm really proud of winning the bronze medal in my first ever major international championship. At the start line, I was in a good mental space and felt confident in my abilities. I kept composure throughout the final race and was pleased to see myself break the national record once again. I think this is just a start and I want to reach greater heights in the near future.' With this five-medal haul, Reliance Foundation athletes not only broke records (two championship records and one national record) but also underlined the Foundation's commitment to nurturing Olympic-level talent through access to world-class facilities across India. The performance in Gumi stands as a proud milestone in the Foundation's journey of empowering young Indian athletes to excel on the global stage. UNI BM
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Asian Athletics C'ship: Teenager Pooja defies odds to win gold
New Delhi: A few days after arriving in Gumi, South Korea, for the Asian Championships, Pooja Singh faced an unexpected challenge. During a training session, one of her shoes tore. The backup pair wasn't giving her the good grip she needed on the track. After discussing the issue with her coach Balwan Singh, Pooja decided to tape the torn spikes and go ahead with her jumps on Friday. For someone who grew up in a family struggling to make ends meet, learned high jump clearing bamboo bars, and landed on mats made of paddy straw (parali), this wasn't the toughest obstacle she had faced. It was just another challenge for her to overcome in her tough journey. On Friday, when she ran towards the High Jump bar at the Gumi Civic Stadium in South Korea, Pooja was brimming with confidence and produced an outstanding performance. The 18-year-old showed no nerves as she won a rare gold for India in one of the toughest disciplines. She cleared 1.89m for her personal best and an U20 national record to win her first major international medal. Having sealed the gold, Pooja went after the national record setting the bar to 1.92m (Sahana Kumari, 2012) but could not clear it. Uzbekistan's Safina Sadullaeva won silver (1.86m) and Kazakhstan's Yelizaveta Matveyeva won bronze for the same height (on countback). 'My body was feeling good and I was enjoying myself. The competition was very good. I almost cleared the national record of 1.92m but missed by a whisker. But I am happy to set my personal best 1.89m and win a gold medal at such a big stage,' said Pooja. Coming from a family of meagre resources from Fatehabad in Haryana, Pooja, a mason's daughter, has seen some tough days but in the last few years, she has emerged as a bright prospect in Indian athletics. With national records in Under-16, Under-18 and Under-20 age groups, her consistent growth has been impressive. While Pooja shone on the field, Indian athletes continued to give blazing performances on the track. Gulveer Singh sprinted to his second gold medal of the meet in great style, winning the 5,000m with a championship record (13:24.77). On the back of his gold medal in 10,000m on the first day, Gulveer showed good control and finished with a terrific last lap. With two laps to go, Gulveer, Kieran Tuntivate of Thailand (silver) and Nagiya Mori of Japan (bronze) were running shoulder to shoulder. Gulveer increased the pace and kept surging ahead even as the other two came close to challenge him but in vain. Gulveer's winning time of 13:24.77 was better than the Asian Championships record of 13:34.47 set by Al Garni Mohamed of Qatar in 2015. The third medal of the day was bagged by Nandini Agasara in heptathlon. Nandini was in the lead after the first day. On Friday, she slipped to second place after her javelin performance (34.18m) but made a strong comeback to win the 800m race. She finished with 5941 points ahead of China's Liu Jingyi (5869 points) and Cai Juan Chen of Taipei (5608 points). Nandini, the Asian Games bronze medallist, is only the third Indian heptathlete to win the continental title after Swapna Barman (2017) and Soma Biswas (2005). Parul Chaudhary gave her best in the 3,000m steeplechase, claiming silver medal. Though she could not defend her title, her timing of 9:12.96 improved national record. Kazakhstan's Norah Jeruto Tanui, the 2022 world champion, was too strong for the rest of the field and led from start-to-finish setting a new meet record (9:10.46). In javelin, Sachin Yadav (79.62m) and Yashvir Singh (76.67m) qualified the final scheduled on Saturday. Olympic champion from Pakistan Arshad Nadeem, competing for the first time since the Paris high, topped the qualification with a throw of 86.34m. However, the day for India belonged to Pooja who brought home a medal to cherish. Her journey has been nothing short of inspirational. Coach Balwan Singh, a former sprinter, trained Pooja at his academy (Parta Sports Academy) with the bare minimum facilities at his disposal. He innovated, took help from others and tried to match the passion of his ward. Pooja used to do yoga and gymnastics before switching to high jump.'Her flexibility and explosive speed were suited to high jump. Besides, she is very disciplined and hasn't missed a single day of training all these years. 'Bringing her up from grassroots till here has been a difficult journey. The resources were limited. Her family is not financially well off but they fully supported her. We kept taking one step at a time, arranged for her shoes and diet, sometimes asking my friends to sponsor,' he said. Looking back, Pooja recalled the days when even getting a proper landing mat was a struggle. 'I have reached here after a lot of hard work and struggle and my parents and coach have supported me all through,' Pooja said during an interaction on Friday. 'In 2019, I shifted to high jump. When I started we did not have a mat and I practiced on sacks filled with parali (rice stubble),' she said. 'For 2-3 years I trained like that before my coach arranged an old mat. I broke the U-16 national record (1.76m) practicing on it.' The early struggles have given her a mental resolve that will continue to serve her well even as she scales ever-increasing heights. The bar has been set high indeed.
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Gulveer completes a double; Pooja, Nandini too corner glory
Gulveer Singh became only the second Indian to claim the 5,000m-10,000m double gold at the Asian Athletics Championships and high jumper Pooja had the distinction of being the country's youngest champion in this edition as India added three gold and a silver to its tally on the penultimate day of the competition in Gumi, South Korea, on Friday. With this, India now has eight gold — two more than 2023 — seven silver and three bronze. Gulveer clocked 13:24.77 to add the 5K to his 10K gold from day one to emulate Govindan Lakshmanan's feat from 2017 and complete his double. Preserving energy but still staying part of the five-member leader pack till the last lap in hot and humid conditions, Gulveer gradually accelerated to open space, then kicked off with a burst of power in the final 200m to take the lead. Even though Kieran Tuntivate of Thailand and Nagiya Mori of Japan pushed hard, Gulveer had no problems crossing the finish line comfortably in front. Abhishek Pal finished sixth in 13:33.51. In heptathlon, Agasara Nandini consolidated her lead at the top to win gold in style to finish with 5941 points. In the process, she also improved her personal best by more than 100 points, having totalled 5813 during the recent Federation Cup. But the biggest surprise was from 18-year old Pooja, who set a new under-20 national record with a massive 1.89m jump to not only become the Asian champion in her maiden international outing at any level but also ensure India's first gold in a field event at the ongoing competition. Pooja, who jumped 1.85m at the national under-18 championships last year and equalled it at the Indian Open last month, also became only the second Indian woman high jumper to win a medal at the Asians after Bobby Aloysius in 2002. In the 3.000m steeplechase, Parul Chaudhary broke her own national record for the second time in less than a fortnight but was still unable to defend her title, managing a silver in 9:12.46, two seconds behind Norah Jeruto Tanui of Kazakhstan. The former Kenyan World champion had switched nationalities in 2022. Both Pooja and Twinkle Chaudhary, meanwhile, advanced to the final of the 800m, the former with a personal best of 2:02.70 in second spot and latter in 2:04.21. Krishan Kumar and Anu Kumar too booked their spots in the 800m with top-two finishes in their respective heats. Anu Raghavan and Vithya Ramraj too advanced to the 400m hurdles final while Animesh Kujur did so in the 200m. In the morning session, Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh both advanced to the javelin throw finals with efforts of 79.62m and 76.67m respectively for automatic qualification. Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, in his first competition since the Paris Games, threw a massive 86.34m in his opening attempt to top the qualification. The Indian men's 4x100m side, however, had to face a disastrous disqualification after officials deemed the first baton between Pranav Gurav and Ragul Kumar was exchanged outside the designated zone. With just 10 teams and eight spots in the final, it would have been a breeze for the Indians. Surprisingly, national record holder Gurindervir Singh was not fielded in the heat.
