Asian Games - 2010
Subedar Bajrang Lal was the most favoured finalist for the single sculls gold and won the race from a fast-finishing Wang Ming Hui of Taipei.
Subedar Bajrang Lal Takhar
Subedar Bajrang Lal Takhar led the charge with a historic gold in men's singles scull as Indian rowers notched up three more medals to put India's floundering campaign at the Asian Games back on track on Friday.
Starting in lane 3, the 29-year-old Bajrang Lal led the 2000m race from start to finish and rowed his way to the gold with a few lengths of boats to spare in 7 minutes and 4.78 seconds.
Rajasthan-born Bajrang Lal, who won the Asian championship gold last year in Korea and was the pre-event favourite, was followed across the finish line by Chinese Taipei's Wang Ming Hui (7:07.33), who took the silver, and Iraq's Haeider Hamarasheid (7:10.10), who won the bronze.
Four years ago, Bajrang Lal had become the first Indian to win a silver medal at the Asian Games.
Bajrang Lal, the 2006 South Asian Games champion in both single and double sculls, said later that he was determined to change the Doha silver into gold here.
"I won silver in the 2006 Asian Games. I had prepared for four years to fight for the gold medal today. I knew I would make it," said the rower from Sikar district of Rajasthan who is a Subedar in the Rajputana Rifles.
About the final race, in which he beat back the challenge of Taipei and Iraq, Bajrang Lal said he kept increasing the lead after the halfway mark marginally to come out comfortable victor.
"At the first 1000m I was leading by 2 seconds. After the 1500m I was leading by four seconds and I knew nobody could beat me then. It was my event today," he said.
The rowing event came to a finale with the Indian men's eight team clinching the silver, by clocking 5:49.50, way behind hosts China who timed 5:37.44, but well ahead of bronze medal winners Uzbekistan (5:55.96).
Starting in lane 3, the 29-year-old Bajrang Lal led the 2000m race from start to finish and rowed his way to the gold with a few lengths of boats to spare in 7 minutes and 4.78 seconds.
Rajasthan-born Bajrang Lal, who won the Asian championship gold last year in Korea and was the pre-event favourite, was followed across the finish line by Chinese Taipei's Wang Ming Hui (7:07.33), who took the silver, and Iraq's Haeider Hamarasheid (7:10.10), who won the bronze.
Four years ago, Bajrang Lal had become the first Indian to win a silver medal at the Asian Games.
Bajrang Lal, the 2006 South Asian Games champion in both single and double sculls, said later that he was determined to change the Doha silver into gold here.
"I won silver in the 2006 Asian Games. I had prepared for four years to fight for the gold medal today. I knew I would make it," said the rower from Sikar district of Rajasthan who is a Subedar in the Rajputana Rifles.
About the final race, in which he beat back the challenge of Taipei and Iraq, Bajrang Lal said he kept increasing the lead after the halfway mark marginally to come out comfortable victor.
"At the first 1000m I was leading by 2 seconds. After the 1500m I was leading by four seconds and I knew nobody could beat me then. It was my event today," he said.
The rowing event came to a finale with the Indian men's eight team clinching the silver, by clocking 5:49.50, way behind hosts China who timed 5:37.44, but well ahead of bronze medal winners Uzbekistan (5:55.96).
Subedar Vijay Kumar, SM
Shooting fetched yet another medal for India as Subedar Vijay Kumar, SM won the bronze in the 10m air pistol individual event of the Asian Games.
Vijay just about made the cut for the finals by finishing eighth in the qualification round but shot the highest score of 101.4 in the medal round for a total of 680.4 to take India's medal tally to three.
Subedar Tarundeep Rai, VSM
Subedar Tarundeep Rai, VSM a 26-year-old Army man made history here winning Indian archery’s first-ever individual medal at the continental games.
When Rai overcame second-seeded Oh Jin Hyek of South Korea 6-4 in the quarter-final, one thought the jinx was over. Indians have rarely beaten a South Korean opponent on the world stage. But then, an 18-year-old Korean was waiting in the final to set the record straight.
Rai could have won gold. The final was a lot closer than the 7-3 score line suggests. Rai’s first shot of the fifth set was an 8 and although he came back with a 10 and a 9 with his next two arrows, it wasn’t enough.
Rai, who has had a great comeback this year where he won the SAF Games gold, a gold in the Commonwealth Games test event and then ousted Mangal Singh Champia from the Commonwealth Games team, had faltered at the Commonwealth Games last month. The Archery Association of India thus reinstated Champia for the team championships here. Wednesday’s performance did prove a point.
“This was the result of a lot of hard work not only by me but also the coaches. We have been preparing for the Commonwealth Games for the last two years and stayed together and practised. It was because of that the results are coming.
“We have to keep this going and an Olympic medal is not a fantasy any more. It’s round the corner,” Rai said.
Subedar Bajrang Lal was the most favoured finalist for the single sculls gold and won the race from a fast-finishing Wang Ming Hui of Taipei.
I and my team heartedly congratulate, the winners of Asian games.
ReplyDeleteKEEP YOUR GOOD WORK GOING!! :)