Aichi-Nagoya, Sept 28:
India endured a mixed day at the Asian Games on Sunday, collecting four silver and three bronze medals while assuring themselves of three more medals in boxing.
The day’s results included several strong performances, although India missed out on gold in a number of closely fought events.
Squash provided two of the day’s silver medals. Abhay Singh finished runner-up in the men’s singles event, while Anahat Singh claimed silver in the women’s singles. Their performances added India’s 31st and 32nd medals of the Games and underlined the country’s growing strength in squash.
Athletics also produced a rich haul for India. Sarvesh Kushare won the silver medal in the men’s high jump, while Ancy Sojan Edappilly secured silver in the women’s long jump. Both athletes put together strong campaigns but had to settle for second place.
India’s bronze-medal winners included Tejaswin Shankar in the men’s decathlon, Parul Chaudhary in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and Harita Bhadra in the women’s 200m final. Chaudhary’s performance was particularly notable as she clocked a personal best while finishing third.
The boxing competition also provided India with further encouragement, with three Indian boxers assuring themselves of medals by progressing to the required stages of their respective events. The results meant India ended Sunday’s competition with 37 medals.
The day therefore produced a combination of achievement and disappointment for the Indian contingent. While the silver medals reflected strong performances across squash and athletics, the inability to convert several opportunities into gold left India with mixed emotions as competition continued.
The quarter-final between Pakistan and Hong Kong was called off without a toss because of continuing rain. With no play possible, Pakistan advanced to the semi-finals by virtue of its higher position in the ICC T20I Rankings.
The washout has brought the tournament regulations into sharp focus.