Asian Games 2023: Parul rule, Rani raj!

That’s what Day 3 of Asian Games athletics competition witnessed as Chaudhary, Annu lead Team India’s medal haul with gold in 5,000m race and javelin throw

Meerut girls Parul Chaudhary and Annu Rani were going through similarly tough mental emotions during their gold medal march in the 5000m and javelin throw event respectively at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre on Tuesday.  

While Chaudhary, 28, was thinking about getting a better government job, Rani, 31, was battling depression that had built up due to her poor performances through the year.

“The only thing on my mind was that I want to join the Uttar Pradesh Police as DSP [Deputy Superintendent] in my home state. If you win a gold medal, UP Police directly employ, you as a DSP,” Chaudhary, who clocked 15:14.75 for the gold, and crucially overtook Japan’s Ririka Hironaka (15:15.34) in the last 20 metres of a thrilling finish, said immediately after her race. Just 24 hours earlier, Chaudhary won silver in the 3,000m steeplechase. “I was so tired after yesterday’s steeplechase that I couldn’t sleep last night. I slept for just three hours and all the while I was thinking that I want to make up for that second place by winning the gold medal in this one,” added Chaudhary, currently employed with the Indian Railways as a Ticket Examiner.

I was depressed: Rani

Javelin star Rani revealed that she contemplated giving up the sport. “I was depressed because this whole year I had not done well. The Indian government is spending so much on us athletes so you feel guilty when you cannot repay their faith with medals. I had even thought of quitting, but, somehow, I continued. Coming here, I said to myself that since it’s the last event of the season and I had anyway not done well, I have nothing to lose, so let’s give it my all,” said Rani, who began with a poor throw of 56.99m before registering a gold medal-winning throw of 62.92m in her fourth attempt to become the first Indian woman to win top spot in this event at the Asiad.

Also Read: Asian Games 2023: India's Parul-Priti bag silver and bronze in 3000m steeplechase

Team India won four more medals on the track besides the double gold show on the day. Tejaswin Shankar (7,666 points) clinched a historic first decathlon medal for the country since 1974, while Mohammad Afsal, 27, won the 800m silver, clocking (1:48.43). Men’s triple jumper Praveen Chitraveli, 22, leapt 16.68m to win bronze, while middle-distance runner Vithya Ramraj (55.68 seconds) also clinched the bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Shankar was more relieved than anything else to win this medal as he has switched to decathlon only recently from being a high jumper previously. “I moved to the decathlon, but did not have any significant achievement to be an advocate for the sport in the country. Now that I have this, I can talk about the sport more freely,” said Shankar, 24, with a smile.

Ramraj delighted

Ramraj, 25, meanwhile, was happier with herself for equalling the legendary PT Usha’s 39-year-old national record of 55.42s during her qualification round for the 400m hurdles final 24 hours earlier. “Her name [PT Usha] was there on that record, but now we are equal. I’m happy,” said Ramraj, adding that she is yet to receive a congratulatory call or message from Usha, the current president of the Indian Olympic Association. “I haven’t met her [Usha] yet. I haven’t got any message from her either,” added Ramraj.   

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