Relay-famous Sri Lanka has left an unforgettable mark on track in the final day by breaking both national and championships records ahead of leading favorite India. Former Asian U20 champion Aruna Darshana off the block for Sri Lanka before pass the baton to Rajitha Rajakunara and Pabasara Niku has able to stay with the Indians on their laps. India’s Rajesh Ramesh entered to penultimate lap a second ahead of Kalinga Kumarage Hewa of Sri Lanka. But Sri Lankan passed Ramesh around 300 metres to go before he kicked off until the finish line. Thus gave Sri Lanka to their first 4x400 metres gold since 2003, the year of their legendary team’s third consecutive victory over this discipline in Manila.
Sri Lanka’s female quartet also fought for the gold until very end but narrowly defeated by Vietnam which took leading position after coming astonishing third leg from Thi Huyen Nguyen.
18-year-old Dissanayake Tharushi Mudiyanselage, one of the members of silver-medallist relay team, wins 800 metres to break an event record that stood since 1998! The young Sri Lankan entered final lap in third position then smells the victory around final bend just before her record-breaking kick over India’s Chandra who finished nearly one second behind. Tharushi brought just second win to her country in the event and broke Zhang Jian’s 25-year-old event record by half a second exactly.
Japan’s national 200 metres champion Towa Uzawa clocked 20.23 personal best and established championship record in same event in Bangkok. Although Japan’s very fertile past in this event, it became first title since 2007 for them. Most importantly, addition of the 100 metres gold of Hiroki Yanagita, Japan secured men’s sprint double for the first time in history of Asian Championships.
One of the absolute star names of Bangkok 2023, Shanti Pereira yet to win another title in 200 metres, clocking 22.70 championship record from lane eight, and just missed of her lifetime best by 0.01 seconds. Shanti became first Singaporean champion in all Asian Athletics history after winning 100 metres two days ago, and she completes dream double in the Suphachalasai Stadium.
Ernest Obiena steals Philippines’ second victory in the championships with an unassailable 5.91 jump in pole vault. The world bronze medallist has failed for 6.02m Asian records attempts.
