Shakti, Neelam make golden day for India
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

JAKARTA, AUGUST 28: National champion shot-putter Shakti Singh heaved the iron ball to 19.77 metres to win a deserving gold and compatriot woman discuss thrower Neelam J Singh followed him in winning another as India took the first day's honours at the Asian Track and Field Meet here on Monday.

Though both returned with performances well below their personal bests, the effort was an impressive start to the championship being held with next month's Sydney Olympic Games in sight.

India with two gold and two silver medals led the medals chart followed by superpowers China (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze) and Japan (0-1-2).

Shakti Singh struck gold with an effort below his National mark of 20.09m And tuned himself well for the coming Games.

Qatar's Bilal Saad Mubarak (19.23m) settled for silver while China's Wen Jili (18.18m) took the bronze.

Neelam J Singh hurled the discus to 60.75 metres in the women's event to give much-deserved `kick start' to the Indian athletes' preparations. The Indian National champion was followed by Chinese pair of Qi Cao (58.71m) and Li Yanfeng (57.52m) in the second and third positions respectively.

The elegant thrower's effort was though below her National mark of 61.41m achieved in February this year.

Distance runner L Aruna Devi broke a long-standing National record in women's 10,000 metres when she clinched the silver in 34 minutes 31.15 seconds.

Aruna Devi's excellent run erased Poonam Taneja's record 34:33.93 set in 1991.

Sutono Supriaty of Indonesia (33:47.24) won gold while North Korean Hui Hong Myong (35:27.50) settled for bronze.

Long distance runner Gulab Chand brought in the other silver with a second place finish in the men's race for the same distance.

Gulab Chand clocked 30 mins 03.75 secs, but his timing left Hari Chand's National record (28:48.72), set in Montreal Olympics, untouched.

Qatar's Ahmed Ibrahim won the gold with a timing of 29 mins 53.00 secs while China's Ke Gong (30:05.11) took the bronze.

Meanwhile, the Indians also excelled in the heats for Tuesday's events.

In the men's 400 metres, India's best bets, Paramjit Singh and P Ramachandran got through their heats comfortably.

Women's quartermiler KM Beenamol also finished on top in the heats reserving the best lane for herself.

In the 100 metres dash, both Rajiv Balakrishnan and Anil Kumar, made it to the next round. The top two in each heat plus the next six best times will be taken into account.

Amidst the euphoria of Shakti Singh's golden effort there was gloom when shot-putter Bahadur Singh failed to fetch a medal.

Bahadur Singh was tipped for silver, but after his four efforts were deemed fouls, it unsettled him and he was unable to keep his foot in position.

Bahadur's first throw was a good 20 metres, but it was deemed foul.

Shakti Singh said ``Bahadur could have done better, but he could not keep his focus level intact after Kazakhstan's Sergey Rubstov had sprinkled powder in the circle.

``That played in the mind but somehow I could get the rhythm back but Bahadur slipped badly,'' said Shakti Singh showing a little disappointment in not touching the 20 metres mark.

Neelam took the expected gold with no one in sight to challenge her. Her first three throws were good enough to get the gold though she made valiant attempts to improve.

Kazhakstan's Yelena Parfyonava won the women's triple jump with 14.08 metres, the silver going to Miao Chunging (14.01) and the bronze to Japanese Mahe Hanaoka (13.67).

China's Li Xiaoxue was an overwhelming winner in the women's hammer throw with an effort of 59.02 metres, the silver and bronze medals going to Japanese Yuka Murofushi (58.64) Masumi Aya (55.97) respectively.

Results:

Men's Shot Put: 1. Shakti Singh (India) 19.77 metres; 2. Bilal Saad Mubarak (Qatar) 19.23; 3. Wen Jili (China) 18.18.

Women's Triple Jump: 1. Yelena Parfyonova (Kazakhstan) 14.08 metres; 2. Miao Chunking (China) 14.01; 3. Maho Hanaoka (Japan) 13.67.

Women's Hammer Throw: 1. Li Xiaoxue (China) 59.02 metres; 2. Yuka Murofushi(Japan) 58.64; 3. Masumi Aya (Japan) 55.97.

Women's Discus: 1. Neelam Singh (India) 60.75 metres; 2. Qi Cao (China)58.71; 3. Li Yanfeng (China) 57.52.

Women's 10,000 Metres: 1. Sutono Supriati (Indonesia) 33 minutes 47.24 seconds; 2. L. Aruna Devi (India) 34:31.15; 3. Hui Hong Myong (North Korea) 35:27.50.

Men's 10,000 Metres: 1. Ahmed Ibrahim (Qatar) 29 minutes 53.00 seconds; 2.Gulab Chand (India) 30:03.75; 3. Ke Gong (China) 30:05.11.

Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.