Asian Games: No medal upgrade for India, Bahrain's Jebet gets her gold

Bahrain's Ruth Jebet regained her Asian Games steeplechase gold yesterday after a battle over her disqualification for stepping inside the track, an Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) official said

Incheon: Bahrain's Ruth Jebet regained her Asian Games steeplechase gold yesterday after a battle over her disqualification for stepping inside the track, an Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) official said.


India's 3000m steeplechase bronze medal-winner Lalita Babar (left) and gold medallist Ruth Jebet of Bahrain with their medals 

The reinstatement meant that India would missed out on a medal as fourth-placed Sudha Singh would have received a bronze while third-placed Lalita Babbar's bronze medal would have been upgraded to silver.

The Kenya-born runner was led away in tears on Saturday when her disqualification was announced to the stadium as she was waiting to collect her gold.

She had won the race clocking a new Games nine minutes, 31.36 seconds. OCA games director Haidar Farman told AFP that 17-year-old Jebet had been reinstated as winner after a review.

"The jury reviewed all of the protests by the three Olympic committees and they confirmed that there was no violation of the rules and the gold medal will be given again to Bahrain runner Ruth Jebet," Farman said.

It is learnt that the Bahrain OCA was very upset with the way Jebet was denied the gold medal earlier.

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