Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi bags gold for Bahrain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi added another major achievement yesterday to her already spectacular outdoor athletics season.

Winfred bagged the gold medal in the women’s 1,500 metres at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, adding to her maiden world title and first-ever Diamond League champion’s trophy—both in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase—won just several weeks prior.

Her triumph earned the Kingdom’s delegation their fourth gold so far at the Hangzhou Asiad. Fellow-Bahraini Marta Yota came away with the bronze medal from the same race.

Their podium appearances brought Bahrain’s medal tally to eight yesterday, all of which have been won after only three days of competition and four still to go in track and field.

Awarding Winfred and Marta their medals in their podium ceremony yesterday was the Kingdom’s delegation head in Hangzhou and Bahrain Olympic Committee vice-president His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. Along with the four gold, Bahrain’s total haul to date includes one silver and three bronze.

Bahrain are now ranked 11th on the official medal standings based on gold, and are 18th based on total.

The athletics events continue today at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, with the national team’s elite athletes vying for up to six gold medals. In yesterday ’s women’s 1,500m final, Winfred was the pre-race favourite, despite it not being her primary event.

The 23-year-old showed why she is dubbed as one of global athletics’ brightest stars, leading from early on in the 17-runner race and never wavering.

She led a trio of Marta and Harmilan Bains from India at the bell, with Bains putting in a tense challenge over the last lap. But Winfred maintained her strong pace throughout and finished with a comfortable gap ahead of Bains, who was able to overtake Marta along the inside straight.

Winfred captured her gold medal with a finishing time of four minutes 11.65 seconds, while Bains followed as the silver-medallist in 4:12.74. Marta took her bronze in 4:15.97.

With the result, Winfred secured the second Asian Games gold medal of her career. She had previously won the 3,000m steeplechase title at the previous Asiad in 2018 in Jakarta.

Winfred will be aiming to repeat that success and complete a golden double when she races in her main discipline’s today.

The women’s 3,000m steeplechase final is scheduled for a 2.20pm start, Bahrain time, and Winfred will be competing alongside fellow-Bahraini Tigest Mekonen.

Coming up short

Also yesterday, Bahrain’s Abdelrahman Mahmoud came narrowly short from stepping onto the podium in the men’s shot put.

He was classified fourth overall from 13 contestants, finishing with a best throw of 19.74 metres.

His top mark came on the sixth and final attempt, with his other efforts being 19.67m, 19.28m, 19.70m and 19.58m.

His fifth was not counted. Tajinderpal Singh Toor of India won gold in 20.36m, while Mohamed Tolo of Saudi Arabia claimed silver at 20.18m.

Yang Liu finished just ahead of Mahmoud for bronze at 19.97m.

Another Bahraini to come close to medalling was Zouhair Aouad, who was leading at the start of the final lap in the men’s 1,500m final but was unable to maintain his pace to the finish.

Aouad was classified fifth overall in 3:40.69. Mohamad Algarni of Qatar won in 3:38.36, followed by the Indian pair of Ajay Kumar Saroj in 3:38.94 and Jinson Johnson in 3:39.74.

In yesterday’s men’s 3,000m steeplechase final, Bahrain’s John Koech finished 10th from 13 runners in 9:03.75.

Also in action were sprinters Salwa Eid Naser, Edidiong Odiong and Saeed Alkhaldi, who each made it through to their respective medal rounds.

Salwa and Edidiong both advanced to the women’s 200m final, to be held today at 2.45pm, Bahrain time. Salwa qualified after winning yesterday’s second of three firstround heats i n 2 3.74 seconds. Edid - i o n g fol - lowed s u i t , t a k i n g second place in heat three with a season’s best time of 23.35s.

Salwa was the seventh-fastest in the opening stage while Edidiong was second from top. Alkhaldi advanced to the men’s 200m final, also happening today at 2.55pm, Bahrain time.

He finished second in the first of two semi-final races yesterday, clocking a personal best time of 20.61s. Earlier in the day, he was third in his first-round heat.

The other Bahrainis hoping to medal in today’s athletics events are Fatima Mubarak in the women’s long jump final starting at 2.10pm, Marwan Medany in the men’s discus throw final starting at 2.40pm, and the 4x400m mixed relay team starting their final at 3.40pm, all Bahrain time.

Bahrain is Kemi Adekoya and Aminat Jamal will also be in action in the women’s 400m hurdles heats.