"Another double podium" - Fans react to Parul Chaudhary's silver and Preeti Lamba's bronze in women's 3000m steeplechase at Asian Games
The Indian athletes continued their impressive run at the ongoing Asian Games. On Monday, two steeplechasers finished on the podium in the Women’s 3000m steeplechase final. Parul Chaudhary clocked 9:27:63 to finish second while Preeti Lamba secured the third position with a timing of 9:43:32.
This is the first time that two Indians have finished on the podium in the women’s 3000m steeplechase since the discipline first took place in 2010. Kenyan-born Bahrainian athlete Yavi Winfried, who finished the race in 9:18:26s, took the gold.
Parul and Preeti also became the second Indian pair to make a double medal podium in this Asian Games after teenage shooters Palak Gulia and Esha Singh clinched gold and silver medals respectively, in the women’s 10m air pistol final.
This is the third medal for India in the steeplechase event after Avinash Sable bagged the historic gold medal on Sunday in the men’s event. Sable became the first Indian man to win the gold in the 3000m steeplechase event, bettering Naveen Kumar’s bronze in 2014 in Incheon.
The Asian Games silver medal should serve as a massive boost for Parul Chaudhary, who secured a Paris Olympics berth during the World Athletics Championships held in August in Budapest. For Preeti, it was a dream comeback after she missed the last edition in Jakarta owing to an ankle injury.
The Indian fans were delighted with the steeplechase duo’s success at the continental showpiece. Here are some of the reactions posted on X (formerly Twitter):
How many women's 3000m steeplechase medals have India won so far in the Asian Games?
Sudha Singh was the first Indian to win a gold medal in the women’s steeplechase event at the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010. Her timing of 9:55.67 was eventually set as the Asian Games record in her very first appearance at the event.
Sudha participated in the 2014 edition of the Asian Games at Incheon but finished in fourth place. Lalita Babar finished third to account for the bronze. Sudha once again finished on the podium in the women's 3000m steeplechase in Jakarta in 2018, this time with a silver medal. The 2018 Asian Games turned out to be the last quadrennial event for Sudha after the athlete hung up her boots in September 2022.
Parul Chaudhary and Preeti Lamba's medals take India's overall tally to five in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Games.