World champion Maryam Jamal comfortably defended her 1,500m Asian Games title yesterday as Somdev Devvarman and Peng Shaui delivered tennis gold to India and China.
The Ethiopian-born Jamal, running for Bahrain, lived up to her top billing on the track to win a slow-paced race she never looked like losing with Vietnam’s Truong Thanh Hang a shock silver medalist.
Jamal said she planned to bid for a golden double, as she did at the last Games in Doha four years ago.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“I will compete in the 800m and I want to win another gold medal,” she said. “I did it four years ago and I want to defend it for me and Bahrain. I’m still the best in the world.”
Her success was Bahrain’s third gold in Guangzhou, far behind dominant table-toppers China.
All but 11 of the 45 countries and territories taking part have now managed to climb the podium.
With men’s world champion Youssef Saad Kamel failing to qualify for the final, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Shaween claimed 1,500m gold ahead of Iran’s Sajad Moradi.
Another Baharini, Kenyan-born Tareq Mubarak Taher, defended his 3,000m steeplechase title while China’s Li Yanfeng won the women’s discus and South Korea’s Jung Soon-Ok was crowned women’s long jump champion.
Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim cleared 2.27m to take the men’s high jump title.
It was India’s Somdev Devvarman who took top honors at the Aoti Tennis Center, upsetting Uzbek ATP stalwart Denis Istomin 6-1, 6-2 in the men’s final.
Devvarman has already won the doubles title when he teamed with Sanam Singh on Monday and was ecstatic.
“It’s beyond my expectations,” said the 25-year-old, who is the first man in 24 years to win a singles and doubles gold at the same Games.
Peng Shuai convincingly kept the women’s gold medal in Chinese hands when she also clinched her second title of the Guangzhou Asiad.
Peng, who had linked up with Li Na to win the women’s team event, claimed a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Uzbekistan’s Akgul Amanmuradova in front of a packed house.
“It’s a wonderful memory to win two golds,” said Peng, the world No. 71.
“We don’t get too many opportunities to get together and play tennis. Here we had coaches, men’s players, women’s players and the home crowd cheering for us. It was a big advantage,” she said.
Meanwhile, China’s diving juggernaut picked up speed with Olympic gold medalist Chen Ruolin and Wang Hao too good in the women’s synchronized 10m platform event.
The pairing of Qin Kai and Luo Yutong then kept China on track for a clean-sweep by winning the men’s synchronized 3m springboard.
At the University Town Main Stadium, defending champions Japan beat Hong Kong 28-21 to win the men’s rugby gold, while Kazakhstan shocked favorites China to claim the inaugural women’s title.
The Japanese found more success on the soccer field with goals from Kota Mizunuma and Kensuke Nagai helping them beat four-time champions Iran to make the final where they will meet either South Korea or United Arab Emirates.
Elsewhere, Bangladesh’s cricket team cruised to victory over Malaysia by 70 runs, joining Pakistan in the semi-finals.
Bangladesh scored a competitive 150-7 in 20 overs and Malaysia never looked like reaching their target, struggling to 80 all out in the last over.
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