Asian Games 2023: 3 talking points from Day 9
Asian Games 2023 is currently in its closing stages. The ninth day of the continental meet is in the history books now. The Indian athletes won seven medals today - three silver medals and four bronze medals.
Since India could not win any gold medals on the ninth day of Asian Games 2023, they could not improve their position in the medal tally. India continue to hold the fourth position. They have 60 medals - 13 gold medals, 24 silver medals and 23 bronze medals so far in the competition.
Speaking of India's medal wins on the ninth day, four out of the seven medals were won in athletics. Two medals came from roller skating, while Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee won a bronze medal in the women's doubles competition of table tennis.
Now that today's events have ended, here's a look at the top three talking points from the ninth day of Asian Games 2023.
#1 India won 3 silver medals in athletics on Day 9 of Asian Games 2023
The Indian athletes won three silver medals in different competitions in Hangzhou on Day 9. Ancy Sojan won a silver medal in the women's long jump event. She achieved her personal best of 6.63m to attain the second position on the leaderboard. Shaili Singh was also in the competition, but she finished fifth.
The Indian team also won a silver medal in the Mixed 4x400m relay. The quartet of Muhammad Ajmal (43.14s), Vithya Ramraj (54.19s), Rajesh Ramesh (45.77s), Subha Venkatesan (51.24s) completed the race in 3.14.34s, scripting a new national record.
They were initially third on the leaderboard, but second-placed Sri Lankan team was disqualified because of lane infringement. As a result, India won a silver medal.
India won two medals in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase event. Parul Choudhary won a silver medal for finishing second after clocking 9:27.63s. Her compatriot Priti Lamba achieved a personal best timing of 9:43.32s to win a bronze medal. Bahrain's Winfred Yavi set a new Asian Games record by the finishing the race in 9:18.28s.
#2 Roller skaters won 2 bronze medals for India at Asian Games 2023
India won its first ever medals in roller skating event earlier today at Asian Games. The men's and women's team won a bronze medal each in their respective speed skating 3000m relay event.
The men's team featuring Vikram Rajendra Ingale, Siddhant Rahul Kamble, Anandkumar Velkumar and Aryanpal Singh Ghuman finished third with a timing of 4:10.128s, while the women's team comprising Karthika Jagadeeswaran, Heeral Sadhu, Aarathy Kasturi Raj and Sanjana Bathula attained the third position with a timing of 4:34.861s.
#3 The Mukherjees make India proud in table tennis event at Asian Games 2023
The Mukherjee duo of Sutirtha and Ayhika won a bronze medal for the nation in the women's doubles competition of table tennis. After defeating the world champion duo of China's Meng Chan and Yidi Wang, the Indian pair went down to Cha Suyong and Pak Suyong from North Korea in the semifinals.
In a gripping semifinal encounter, the North Korean pair beat the Indian duo by 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2. This win marked India's first medal in table tennis events at Asian Games 2023.