Asian Athletics Championships: India Bag 5 Medals on Opening Day
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Javelin thrower Annu Rani and 3000m steeple chaser Avinash Sable led the charge with a silver each as India won five medals on the opening day of the Asian Athletics Championships on Sunday, 21 April.
Quartermiler MP Poovamma, 5000m runner Parul Choudhary and 10000m runner Gavit Murali Kumar bagged a bronze each on a day which saw sprint sensation Hima Das suffer a lower back spasm during her 400m heat.
However there was no such worry for Dutee Chand as she smashed her own national record in 100m dash to qualify for the semifinals.
The 26-year-old Annu, who had won a bronze in the 2017 edition in Bhubaneswar, hurled the spear to a best distance of 60.22m to grab the silver. China's Lyu Huihui won the gold with an effort of 65.83m at the Khalifa Stadium.
Annu's performance was, however, more than 2m short of her national record shattering effort of 62.34m during the Federation Cup at Patiala last month, which earned her a berth in the World Championships to be held at the same venue in September-October.
The other Indian in the fray, Sharmila Kumari finished seventh with a best throw of 54.48m.
Sable clocked 8 minute 30.19 seconds to win a silver in men's 3000m steeplechase, his first international medal in his maiden international competition.
