By Champika Fernando &Rex Clementine

Gu Yuan of the Republic of China was the first to strike gold in the 14th Asian Track and Field Championships when she won the women’s hammer throw event in style. She created a new Championship and Asian record in the event by hurling a distance of 71.10 meters. Yuan, who also held the previous championships record, which stood at 61.86 meters, improved on her previous performance by a further 10 meters. Yuan’s feat also erased the Asian record established by Yinghui Liu of China, which was 68.06 meters.

Gu Yuan of China became the first athlete at the 14 Asian Track and Field Championship to win a gold medal. Yuan is seen making her record breaking throw. (Picture by Eranga Jayawardene).

The second place in the event went to Huang Chih Feng of Chinese Taipei who cleared a distance of 58.19 meters while Kaur Hardeep of India won the third place.

Although six events in the morning session were to be held yesterday, only three events got underway. The heats in the women’s 100-meter hurdles and the men’s 400-meter were not worked off, as there wasn’t the minimum number of competitors required to have the event. Now the two events will progress from the semi-final stage.

The first set of participants from Sri Lanka at the championships were seen at the Heptathlon event when Thamara Dissanayake, Priyanka Welpahala and D.C.A. Dhanayake took part. These athletes however failed to impress.

Meanwhile officials in charge of events were seen complaining about the facilities they were provided with. Some of the officials didn’t get food while the ones who received food later found that they had gone stale.

Poor security arrangements-

The security arrangements at the Sugathadasa Stadium has become a cause for concern during the first two days of the Asian Athletic Championships. Although many security personal from the Sri Lanka police and private security firms were deployed at the ground it looked to be a futile effort. Although the security officials were on the alert for the first two hours their attention drifted from the work at hand towards the colourful opening ceremony. Anyone could have walked into the venue, as there was no proper checking. Even the area where the dignitaries were staying was not properly protected and what was worst was that even the ordinary men had access to the track. By the second day the situation had become worse due to the questionable way the security officials got about their duties. None of their high-ranking officials were seen giving them proper directions.

Kazania Svetlana of Kazkhstan came under the spot light during the women’s Heptathlon event in the 14th Asian Track and Field Championship worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Kazania received attention not mainly for her achievement in the high jump event in the Heptathlon but when she was involved in an argument with the Games officials. Kazania complained that the cross bar used in the high jump event

was sagging in the middle. Kazania is seen measuring the height of the cross bar from one position in the presence of Games officials. The officials at the Games later declared that Kazania had mixed up centimetres with meters when having a close look at the distance between the cross bar and the ground. (Insert) Kazania later takes part in the event. (Picture by Eranga Jayawardene).

Sports Diary Today

Athletics - 14th Asian Track and Field Championships at Sugathdasa Stadium, Colombo

Rugby - Havelocks vs CR&FC at Havelock Park, Kandy Youth vs Galle RFC at Nittawela