India's distance-running ace wins gold in 1500m; Dutee bags 200m bronze
India's PU Chitra celebrates after finishing first in the 1500m race on Day Four of the Asian Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday. Pic/AFP
PU Chitra defended her 1500m title to give India its third gold medal while Ajay Kumar Saroj and Dutee Chand won a silver and a bronze in men's 1500m and women's 200m respectively on the fourth and final day of the Asian Athletics Championships here yesterday.
Chitra overtook Bahraini runner Gashaw Tigest just a few metres before the finishing line to win the race in 4 minute 14.56 seconds at the Khalifa Stadium. This was India's third gold of the championships after Gomathi Marimuthu (women's 800m) and Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (men's shot put) won a yellow metal each on the second day on Monday.
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Gashaw clocked 4:14.81 for the silver while another Bahraini Mutile Winfred Yavi took the bronze in 4:16.18. "Got a little nervous towards the end being next to Bahraini runner [Gashaw Tigest]. She beat me to third place in Asian Games. I had to push really hard in the end," said Chitra, 23, who had won a bronze in the Jakarta Asian Games.
Chitra had won gold in the 2017 edition in Bhubaneswar in 4:17.92. Her male counterpart, Saroj clocked a season best time of 3 minute 43.18 seconds to clinch a silver behind Bahrain's Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich who clocked 3:42.85. Dutee clocked 23.24 seconds to win the bronze in 200m.
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