Asian Games 2023: Jyothi Yarraji and 10 more Indian athletes making a final dash for gold today

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) believes that the 65 Indian athletes at the Asian Games 2023 could bring in 25 medals in track and field events. (Photo via X/@afiindia)

At the Olympic Sports Park Stadium, Hangzhou, expect a bunch of eager Indian sportspeople out to claim gold. Tonight is the big night – in the space of about 2 hours, seven finals will be decided with Tajinderpal Singh Toor leading the charge in the shot put.

Following him will be Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin, eager to throw away the World Championships disappointment and climb the podium. Avinash Sable is also up tonight running his favourite 3000m steeplechase. Not being able to enter the World Championships final had cut him up quite badly at Budapest, where he admitted that ‘giving up on the sport does come to mind at times.’ Hangzhou could just be his redemption story; he is eager and hungry to clinch a gold. But it would take some strong running and being in that top 5 bunch to ward off the late attackers.

India at Asian Games: Track and field events on October 1, 2023

After the race at Budapest, Sable said: “I could not take the distance in the last kilometre. I was thinking about saving my energy for the finals. And that's what I did wrong, and getting into the best of five I don't think was that tough. I am not satisfied with myself, this time I had more faith in myself that I would do well, and my coach also said that this time I have done world-level preparation.”

The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist has a season best of 8:11.63. Giving him company, would be Japan’s Aoki Ryoma who has a season best of 8:20.54.

Tactically, Sable froze out at Budapest. Caught in that zone where a long-distance runner’s mind refuses to process decisions, tonight could be when the army man silences his critics and, more importantly, runs ahead of the demons chasing him since Budapest.

India has a 65-strong team, with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) believing that 25 medals are coming in. At the last Asian Games (Jakarta), athletics brought in 20 medals, including eight gold, nine silver and three bronze. India’s overall medal tally was 70.

After Neeraj Chopra’s World Athletics Championship gold medal at Budapest, AFI President Adille Sumariwalla, said: “I do expect more than what we won in Jakarta. At least we should pick up a minimum of 25 medals.”

And it could just start off with a 6’4”, 150kg, known as the ‘gentle giant’, Toor, retaining his shot-put gold. He is in form having rewritten his Asian record at the Inter-State in June with a throw of 21.77m. “Right now, my target is 22m,” said Toor. If he reaches anywhere close, it will be difficult to wrest that gold away from him.

Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin are also among the bunch that wants to turn the disappointment of Budapest into something thrilling this evening at Hangzhou. In the world leading jumps, they still sit at No. 3 and 4; Aldrin at 8.42m with Sreeshankar at 8.41m. It’s consistency they need to battle with. Both are prone to dips in form, plus Aldrin needs to watch out for those foul jumps that not only destroy rhythm, but as an athlete, you start questioning yourself - never a good idea in a final.

Harmilan Bains, they call her the Queen, is also on the comeback track after injuries. National record holder in the 1500m, if pedigree decided medals at major championships, Bains would be picking one up tonight. Her mother Madhuri was a silver medallist in the 800m at the 2002 Busan Asian Games while her father Amandeep won a medal in the 1500m at the South Asian Games. “I am running well at the moment,” she said, after taking silver at the Inter-State in Bhubaneswar. The gold, in fact, went to K.M. Deeksha who timed 4:06.07. Tonight, it will be a battle of nerves as both these girls strive for a podium finish. Bains would want to extend a family tradition while Deeksha would want to prove that she is no flash in the pan.

Despite running sub-13 second times on seven occasions in 2023, Budapest was a learning curve for the 23-year-old Jyothi Yarraji; 13.05 is not a time Yarraji is accustomed to seeing on the clock. The World Championships can leave you in awe once you are surrounded by athletes whom you have always admired or seen running. At the Asian Games, she will also have Nithya Ramraj running in the 100m hurdles final; the first time in Asian Games history two Indian athletes are in the women’s 100m hurdles final.

Expect fireworks in the 1500m men’s final where Ajay Kumar Saroj, who clocked a personal best of 3:38.24, goes for a podium finish. Running alongside would be reigning champion Jinson Johnson who only recently in the IGP 5 clocked a season best of 3:39.32.

Also competing would be Seema Punia in the women’s discus throw final. The 2014 Asian Games gold medallist and a four-time Olympian is on a last lap, though with Punia you never know. Her personal best is 64.84, thrown way back in 2004. A medal would be a huge achievement for the 40-year-old veteran.

An exciting night awaits. And hopefully a bag full of medals.