Bahrain captures two more gold, two new records at 19th Asian Games

AFP | Washington

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain captured two more gold medals yesterday while setting a pair of new Asiad records at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The women’s 4x400 metres relay team and Birhanu Balew were both triumphant in their respective events on the concluding day of athletics action at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.

The quartet of Muna Mubarak, Kemi Adekoya, Zenab Moussa and Salwa Eid Naser claimed their sprint relay crown; while Balew captured the men’s 5,000m gold to complete a sensational long-distance double, adding to his men’s 10,000m title.

Also stepping onto the podium yesterday was Dawit Fikadu, who won the bronze medal behind Balew.

Yesterday’s three-medal haul brought Bahrain’s total so far in Hangzhou to 15, including nine gold, one silver and five bronze medals.

That earned the Kingdom’s delegation ninth on the national delegation rankings based on gold medals, and 15th overall based on totals amongst the 36 countries to step onto the podium so far.

With the track and field events now complete, Bahrain’s athletics team only have two events left today, both road races in the men’s and women’s marathons, scheduled for 2am and 2.10am starts, Bahrain time, respectively. This year’s multi-sport Asiad comes to a close on Saturday.

In the women ’ s 4x 400 m relay final, Muna gave Bahrain a strong start and they managed to maintain their leading position until the end.

Kemi wa s in leg two followed by Zenab, who handed over the closing duties to anchor Salwa. Salwa was pressured until the very end, though, with India’s Subha Venkatesan right behind her until the finish.

The Bahraini women completed the race in a total winning time of 3:27.65—a new Asian Games record.

They narrowly beat the old mark of 3:28.68 set by India in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. With their gold, both Kemi and Salwa added to their impressive hauls in Hangzhou.

For Kemi, it was a sensational fourth gold medal at this year’s Asian Games and sixth overall in her career.

She had already won in the women’s 400m, women’s 400m hurdles and the mixed 4x400m relay in Hangzhou, adding to her two gold in Incheon.

Salwa, on the other hand, claimed her second gold and third medal at these Asian Games, also making it six Asiad medals in her career.

She had earlier finished as silver-medallist behind Kemi in the 400m and then teamed up with her in the mixed 4x400m relay.

She won her other three medals in 2018. Muna and Zenab both came away with their maiden gold and first-ever Asian Games medals of their careers.

India captured silver in 3:27.85 while Sri Lanka took away bronze in 3:30.88.

Favourites Meanwhile, in yesterday’s men’s 5,000m final, Balew and Fikadu were among the race’s favourites and they were in the lead with three laps to go alongside the Indian pair of Avinash Mukund Sable and Gulveer Singh, who were also making a strong challenge.

Balew went solo at the bell with Sable trailing, but the 27-year-old Bahraini increased his power over that final lap and charged to the finish, winning in a time of 13 minutes 17.40 seconds.

Balew’s mark was a new Asian Games record, shattering the previous best time of 13:26.13 set by Qatar’s Mohamad Algarni in 2014.

Balew’s gold was his second in Hangzhou and third overall in his Asiad career.

He successfully defended the 5,000m title he won in the 2018 edition of the Asian Games in Jakarta.

Sable claimed the silver medal for India in 13:21.09, while Fikadu was able to stave off Singh and bring home the bronze in his season’s best time of 13:25.63.

Fikadu won his first Asiad medal with the result, which was also Bahrain’s fifth bronze this year.

Elsewhere yesterday, Bahraini Marta Yota could not add to her 1,500m bronze medal when she finished sixth in the women’s 800m final in 2:05.65; while Bahrain’s men’s 4x400m relay team did not start their final.

Today, Bahrain will have three athletes taking part in the marathons.

In the men’s race, Shumi Dechasa will be the lone Bahraini athlete amongst the 18 that are entered; while in the women’s race, former Asian Games silver-medallist Eunice Chumba and Desi Mokonin will be flying the Kingdom’s flag amongst a field of 17.