Indian contingents won 27 medals( 6 Gold, 12 Silver and 9 Bronze) and finished 3rd in the overall medal tally of the 25th edition of the Asian Athletics Championships (AAC), the flagship event of the Asian Athletics Association(AAA), held in the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand from July 12th to July 16th 2023.
- Japan topped the medal tally with 37 medals (16 gold, 11 Silver, 10 bronze ) followed by China with 22 medals (8 Gold, 8 Silver, 6 Bronze).
Note: The year 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Asian Athletics Association(AAA) (1973-2023).
Members of AAA: Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.
- It is a biennial event happening once in every two years
- Following the cancellation of the 2021 edition in Hangzhou, China due to COVID-19, the Asian Athletics Championships returned after a four-year hiatus.
Top 5 Countries:
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | 16 | 11 | 10 | 37 |
| 2 | China | 8 | 8 | 6 | 22 |
| 3 | India | 6 | 12 | 9 | 27 |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | Qatar | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
India’s mixed relay team wins gold; Swapna Barman, Sarvesh Kushare claim silver
India had a remarkable performance in the mixed relay team event, winning a gold medal. The team members, Rajesh Ramesh, Aishwarya Mishra, Amoj Jacob, and Subha Venkatesan demonstrated excellent teamwork and skill to secure the top position in the event.
- Swapna Barman in the heptathlon event, earned a silver medal; Anil Sarvesh Kushare secured a silver medal in the men’s high jump.
Indian shot-putter Tajinderpal Toor wins his 2nd gold medal
i. Tajinderpal Singh Toor, a 28-year-old shot-putter, clinched his second gold medal in the men’s shot put event. He achieved this feat by recording an impressive throw of 20.23 meters, securing the top position in the competition.
ii. Previously, he had also won the gold medal in the same event at the Asian Athletics Championships 2019 with a best throw of 20.22 meters.
iii. In the 2017 edition of the championships, he had secured a silver medal. Tajinderpal Singh Toor’s consistent performance and remarkable throws have established him as a prominent figure in shot put and a valuable asset to Indian athletics.
Athlete Abdulla Aboobacker wins gold in triple jump
Abdulla Aboobacker, a 27-year-old athlete from Kerala, claimed gold in the men’s triple jump event with an impressive leap of 16.92 meters
Abdulla Aboobacker, Ajay Kumar Saroj clinch gold medals
Abdulla Aboobacker in the men’s triple jump event, secured a gold medal whereas Ajay Kumar Saroj demonstrated his strength and endurance in the men’s 1500m event, winning a gold medal for India.
Long jumper Sreeshankar qualifies for 2024 Olympics after winning silver medal at Asian meet
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured his qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics after claiming a silver medal at the Asian Athletics Championships.
i. Sreeshankar achieved a second career-best jump of 8.37m during the final round, surpassing the Olympic qualification mark of 8.27m.
ii. The gold medal went to Yu Tang Lin of Chinese Taipei, who recorded a jump of 8.40m, ranking as the third-best effort in the world this season.
Sreeshankar had already qualified for the Budapest World Championships in August with his jump of 8.41m during the qualification round of the National Inter-State Championships in the month of June 2023, which also placed him second in the world rankings.
Indian Gold Medal Winners:
| Athlete | Event |
|---|---|
| Jyothi Yarraji | Women’s 100m hurdles |
| Abdulla Aboobacker | Men’s triple jump
|
| Parul Chaudhary | Women’s 3000m steeplechase |
| Ajay Kumar Saroj | Men’s 1500m |
| Tajinderpal Singh Toor | Men’s shot put |
| Rajesh Ramesh, Aishwarya Mishra, Amoj Jacob, Subha Venkatesan | Mixed 4x400m relay team |
About 25th Asian Athletic Championship:
2023 Mascot:
Thailand has chosen Hindu god “Hanuman” as the official mascot of 25th Asian Athletics Championships.
- Hanuman is one of the key characters of the Indian epic “Ramayana”.
Logo:
The logo of 25th Asian Athletics Championship symbolizes the participation of athletes, their skills, teamwork, display of athleticism, dedication, and sportsmanship.
Note: The inaugural Asian Athletics Championships were held in Marikina, the Philippines in 1973.
About Asian Athletic Association:
President – Dahlan Al-Hamad
Headquarters – Bangkok, Thailand
Established in – 1973
