Highlights, Asian Games, Day 11: Jinson Johnson bags men's 1500 metres gold; women's team wins 4x400 relay

India’s medal tally at the end of Day 12

Athletics Fact-sheet

• India’s gold medal haul of seven is its second best, equaling the seven gold medals won in 1978 and 2002. The highest number of gold medals won by India is 10, which was at the first Asian Games in 1951 in New Delhi.
• India’s total haul of seven gold, 10 silver and two bronze (19) medals is the best athletics total in an Asian Games held outside India.
• The two best totals by Indian athletics squad are 31 medals (10 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze) in 1951, 20 medals (4 gold, 8 silver and eight bronze) in 1982. Both those editions of the Games were held in New Delhi.
• This was the fifth time in a row the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team has won gold. They won gold in 2002 (Busan), 2006 (Doha), 2010 (Guangzhou) and 2014 (Incheon). The common runner in the 2014 and 2018 teams was MR Poovamma.
• Jinson Johnson’s 1,500m win was the first by an Indian since 1962, when Mohinder Singh (not to be confused with triple jumpers Mohinder Singh and Mohinder Singh Gill) won the gold. The last Indian to win a 1,500m medal was Bahadur Prasad in 1998, Bangkok.
• Seema Punia’s bronze medal in women’s discus was the sixth successive medal in the event for India at Asian Games. Seema won the gold in 2014; Krishna Poonia won bronze in 2010 and 2006 and Neelam Jaswant Singh won gold in 2002 and bronze in 1998.
• Indian men’s 4x400m relay silver was their first medal in the event since 2006, when they won silver in Doha. India has now won the 4x400m relay silver eight times in Asian Games.
• India’s only gold medals in 4x400m relay were in the 1951 Games and in 1962 when the Games were last held in Jakarta and had Milkha Singh, Makhan Singh,  Jagdish Singh and Daljit Singh.

Tough matches! 

India's men's singles Round of 16 line-up:

Sharath Kamal vs Chuang Chih-yuan (World No 14)

Sathiyan meets Kenta Matsudiara (World No 19), again! #TableTennis #AsianGames2018

— Jigar Mehta (@jigsactin) August 30, 2018

Sathiyan into Round of 16!

He beats Santoso Ficky Supit of Indonesia 4-2. The Indian started off well with a dominating 11-3 win but then lost the second 9-11. He then edged Santoso 14-12 before taking the fourth game 11-1. Santoso fought back in the fifth game 9-11 to make it 2-3. However Sathiyan held his nerve in another hard fought game to seal the round of 16 spot with a 11-7 win in the sixth game.

Sathiyan slips up yet again!

Sathiyan has shown periods of complete dominance during this match, but the Indonesian Santoso has rallied yet again to win the game 11-9 and pile the pressure onto the Indian. A longer, more exhausting match is not doing either athlete a favour, with a string of matches yet to come over the next few days.

Sathiyan has this wrapped up!

The Indian turned up the heat to win 11-1 in the fourth game. He is now just one game away from winning, with the match almost wrapped up. All he needs to do is put the bow on it.

Sathiyan looks up for the fight!

The third game has been an intense battle, as both paddlers rapidly shuffle through several variations of their shots to catch the other off guard. Sathiyan win the closely contested game 14-12.

Santoso wins the second game!

The Indonesian appears to have a reading of Sathiyan, winning the second game 11-9. 

Manika Batra faces a much tougher test in the next round

Manika Batra has a really tough task ahead. She faces World No 5 China's Wang Manyu in the Round of 16 in women's singles. #TableTennis #AsianGames2018

— Jigar Mehta (@jigsactin) August 30, 2018

Sathiyan wins the first game 11-3!

The topspin being generated by the Indian’s deft and powerful shots has been too much to handle for Santoso, who has not looked like he can pose a serious threat to Sathiyan so far.

Coming your way shortly, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran of India is in action against Ficky Supit Santoso of Indonesia!

And Manika Batra wins it!

Manika Batra breezes past Nanthana Komwong of Thailand, winning the third and fourth sets by a scoreline of 11-3 and 11-6 respectively. The Indian moves on to the Round of 16, finishing with a score of 11-3, 11-7, 11-3, 11-6. 

Manika Batra wins her second game!

The Indian does well to stifle her opponent’s attempt to make a comeback and wins the second game 11-7.

Manika Batra wins the first game!

Manika Batra is off to a great start in her Round of 32 match against Nanthana Komwong of Thailand, winning the first game 11-3!

India win silver in the Men’s 4×400 relay!

An incredible run from Muhammed Anas Yahiya helped India finish in second place with a time of 3:01.85!

What an incredible race!

India wins the 4×400 metres women’s relay! A terrific start from Hima Das put India in pole position to win, with Poovamma Machettira, Saritaben Gaykwad and Vismaya Koroth putting in some amazing performances to finish with a huge lead!

Coming up next, India is in action in the Women’s 4×400 metres relay

Jinson Johnson wins gold!

The Indian runner showed a great late burst of speed to win gold in the men’s 1500 metres with a time of 3:44.72! Indian Manjit Singh came close to winning a bronze, finishing fourth with a time of 3:46.57.

Seema Punia wins bronze in Women’s Discus Throw!

The Indian throws 62.26 to finish in third place!

Shock defeat for India.

India resigned to playing for bronze medal. Desolate India sitting on the turf. They never imagined losing this game. It will be difficult for India to rethink their priorities. Malaysia are into the final.

Malaysia through to the finals!

SV Sunil now. Can’t score. Malaysia is through to the final. They have won 7-6 in the shootout. This is an amazing victory.

Shootout: India 6-7 Malaysia

Tengku now. Sreejesh needs to save. Tengku scores to make it 7-6.

Shootout: India 6-6 Malaysia

Dilpreet Singh now…It’s 6-6. The Malaysian keeper claims obstruction. The goal stands!

Shootout: India 5-6 Malaysia

Faizal Saari scores. It’s 6-5.

Shootout: India 5-5 Malaysia

Manpreet now. Scores. 5-5 now.

Shootout: India 4-5 Malaysia

Sreejesh back in position. Hasan slots in. It’s 5-4.

Shootout: India 4-4 Malaysia

Akashdeep goes in. He scores with a tomahawk. It’s 4-4.

Shootout: India 3-4 Malaysia

Fitri Saari scores. It’s 4-3.

Shootout: India 3-3 Malaysia

Harmanpreet flicks in. It’s 3-3.

Shootout: India 2-3 Malaysia
Ashari flick hits the post and comes back. But he slots it back. It’s 3-2.

Shootout: India 2-2 Malaysia

It’s back to 2-2. Now it’s sudden death.

Shootout: India 2-1 Malaysia

Harmanpreet Singh now. It’s 1-1. India lead 2-1. Sreejesh only needs to save the last stroke.

Shootout: India 1-1 Malaysia

Hasan shoots out. The goalkeepers are the real stars so far!

Shootout: India 1-1 Malaysia

It’s Sunil but the hooter goes. It’s still 1-1. Getting edgy now.

Shootout: India 1-1 Malaysia

Faizal now for Malaysia. Brilliant Sreejesh save. It’s still 1-1.

Shootout: India 1-1 Malaysia

Dilpreet now. But Malaysia GK Kumar saves.

Shootout: India 1-1 Malaysia

Sreejesh has to save to bring back the strokes on equal. And Sree saves. Tengku saves.

Shootout: India 1-1 Malaysia

Akashdeep Singh now. It’s a goal. 1-1.

Shootout: India 0-1 Malaysia

Malaysia’s Firhan Ashari. Sreejesh saves. But Firhan slots in with 0.1 seconds remaining. One more referral. Malaysia lead 1-0

Shootout: India 0-0 Malaysia

And now it’s down to Sreejesh in goal, with Akashdeep, Manpreet, Harmanpreet, Dilpreet and Sunil in the shootout, but not in that order. India going first with Manpreet Singh.

Umpire blows for obstruction. Manpreet wants a referral. Agonising.

The decision goes against Manpreet.

End of regulation time: India 2-2 Malaysia

And that is the end of the match. India vs Malaysia has gone to a shoot-out. Regulation time score-line is 2-2.

Fourth quarter: India 2-2 Malaysia

Malaysia earn their 6th PC with one minute 47 seconds left. GOAL!! Malaysia have the equaliser with the ball going in off Sreejesh’s pads.
It’s 2-2. Seconds left in the match.

Fourth quarter: India 2-1 Malaysia

India is back to eleven on the field. Four minutes left in the match. India leading 2-1.

Fourth quarter: India 2-1 Malaysia

Another yellow card for India. Surender gets it. India now down to nine. India need to sit deep and wait it out while they’re two men down.

Fourth quarter: India 2-1 Malaysia

Malaysia has their 5th penalty corner. India under pressure. The Indian defence time and again get into a mix. Sreejesh saves a high ball. India counters but the ball runs wide. It’s 2-1 to India.

End of Third quarter: India 2-1 Malaysia

Two minutes left in the 3rd quarter. India pushing themselves, trying to get a third goal to put some distance between themselves and their opponents. Sardar gets a yellow card which means India will start the 4th quarter with ten men. And that is the end of the 3rd Q. India lead 2-1.

Third quarter: India 2-1 Malaysia!

India earn their 8th penalty corner of the match and it results in an excellent goal! Varun Kumar and Harmanpreet combine in lethal fashion, as Harman sold a dummy. Varun latched on to the ball, and with ice water in his veins, the Indian slotted it in. It’s 2-1 to India.

Third quarter: India 1-1 Malaysia

India are slowing down the frenetic pace at which this game has been played, with an emphasis on denying Malaysia space in the midfield. Malaysia desperately trying to forge through the middle.

Malaysia go off on a counter, with Faizal Saari right in front of the Indian goalkeeper and the deflection goes in. It’s 1-1. Great counter-attacking goal from Malaysia.

Third quarter: India 1-0 Malaysia!

India have their 6th penalty corner in the third minute of the third quarter. AND IT’S A GOAL!! Harmanpreet flicks it in to give India a 1-0 lead.

Half-time: India 0-0 Malaysia

In the last three minutes of the 2nd quarter, India rotated keeping possession. They looked dominant. The final pass was lifted. India have had more territory. But the goals are missing on both the sides. India with more chances.

With 18 seconds left, India goes for a referral, in search of a 6th PC. Unfortunately, the penalty corner is not given and India lose their referral.

And that’s the break. More importantly, it’s still goalless.

Second quarter: India 0-0 Malaysia

Malaysia have their 4th penalty corner, which India defends. The resulting counter in turn gives India their 5th penalty corner. Malaysian GK Kumar saves. India still trying to control the game in the Malaysian striking circle, but the fluency they showed against the likes of Hong Kong and Sri Lanka is missing. Manpreet hits and Vivek’s deflection sails past the Malaysian goal. Six minutes left in the 2nd quarter.

Second quarter: India 0-0 Malaysia

The match has gone up yet another gear. It’s absolutely end-to-end at the moment, with Malaysia having the upper hand. However, both teams have failed to convert their best chances, and Malaysia’s profligacy in front of goal is keeping India level at the moment.

End of First quarter: India 0-0 Malaysia

That’s the end of the first quarter. It’s goalless at the moment, but full of drama, missed chances and plenty of penalty corners wasted on both sides. India have blown 4 PCs while Malaysia had 3 PCs. India playing good hockey but need to convert chances and score goals. The game is still opening up as both the teams have yet to hold the midfield firmly.

First quarter: India 0-0 Malaysia

It’s a beautiful through by Sardar to Dilpreet, who appeals for a penalty corner. It leads to a referral, which results in India getting their 3rd penalty corner, followed almost immediately by another after Rupinder’s flick hits a runners leg. India are wasting away too many chances.

First quarter: India 0-0 Malaysia

India are growing into the match, using the right flank with deft movement and pace. India speeding things up when they have the ball, which results in them winning their second penalty corner. Azri gets a yellow in the resulting action, with Malaysia going down to ten. India take three shots off penalty corner injections, but Malaysia survive.

First quarter: India 0-0 Malaysia

Malaysia have the momentum, but India get a couple of counters. It remains tied at 0-0, with the game being played at considerable pace.

Goal overturned

India get a wake-up call! After Malaysia received their 1st penalty corner, they linked up intelligently to get a goal.

However, it looked like an indirect goal and India asked for a referral. It was deemed to not be a goal, with the ball touching the foot of a Malaysian player. India need to be wary.

And here we go! 

The first 1st Penalty corner for India results in a great save by Kumar in the Malaysian goal. Rupinder’s flick was almost perfect.

India are on the attack.

India vs Malaysia

The 1st semi-final begins. In the Asian Games, India has played 11 matches against their current opponents, winning 10 and losing one. The last match India played against them was at the Commonwealth Games where India won 2-1. In the Asian Games, the only match they have lost has been the 2010 semi-final.

India vs Malaysia

Coming up next, the Indian men’s team takes on Malaysia in the semifinals. The Indians have looked strong in the tournament so far, registering massive wins over Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. Malaysia will represent a tougher test for the 2014 Asian Games gold medalists, however, and it seems like it will be a much closer affair.

And that’s the end of the match.

Thailand beat India 2-0 in their Sepaktakraw Women’s preliminary match. India fail to take a single set in the tournament, having also lost 2-0 to Japan and Malaysia. 

Indian women’s sepaktakraw Group B match has started and Thailand have taken the first set. 

Sharath Kamal dominates!

Sharath Kamal enters Round of 16 with an 11-4, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 win over Pakistan’s 52-year-old Muhammad Asim Qureshi. It took the Indian just 18 minutes to achieve victory.

Kurash

Danish ousted 

India’s Danish loses his quarter-final clash 0-10 against Husein Misri of Iran. The Iranian won the match quite comfortably. 

Sharath Kamal wins the second game 11-8. 

The Indian paddler had won the first game 11-4, but the second one was not as effortless for him as the first. Pakistan’s 52-year-old  Muhammad Asim Qureshi drew level at 6-6, before Sharath’s class helped him clinch the second game 11-8.

Sharath 1-0 Qureshi 

Sharath Kamal has won the first game 11-4 against Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Qureshi in their round of 32 encounter. That game lasted just four minutes.

India suffer first loss of the campaign

The Indian women’s team loses their pool match to Hong Kong 1-2

Kurash

Divesh loses in R-16

India’s Divesh has crashed out of the men’s 90kg event after losing his Round of 16 match against Uzbekistan’s Yakhyo Imamov.

Kurash

Danish surges ahead

India’s Danish Sharma has beaten Palestine’s Abueida Mohanad to enter the quarter-finals of the 90kg weight class. Danish was dominant from the start of that bout and made this superiority count.

Kurash

Amisha Tokas loses R-16

India’s Amisha Tokas lost her Round of 16 encounter in the women’s 78kg category to Vietnam’s Thi Lan Nguyen. The Indian is just 17 years of age and will no doubt take home a lot of experience from this competition.

Kurash

Jyoti bows out in R-16

India’s Jyoti Tokas has lost her Round of 16 encounter against Turkmenistan’s Mariya Lohova in the 78kg weight class. The Turkmenistan athlete was nine years older than 15-year-old Jyoti and had an eight-inch height advantage over the Indian, which she made count. 

Kurash

India’s Danish Sharma has also won his 90kg 
 
India’s Danish Sharma has breezed into the Last 16 of the men’s 90kg kurash event after beating Indonesia’s Alfais Muhammad Dhifa. 

Two medals for India in kurash so far. But just what is kurash**?**

Kurash is an Uzbek form of wrestling which was reportedly a training technique for soldiers of 14th-century conqueror Amir Temur, whose empire stretched from Persia to central Asia. According to archaeological finds, the sport’s origins can be traced to at least 2,500-3,000 years ago.

Wrestlers use towels to hold their opponents, and bouts are won by throwing or tripping an opponent onto their back.

Kurash

Jyoti wins 

Fifteen-year-old Jyoti Tokas has won her 78kg Round of 32 clash against Thailand’s Prawanwit Meesri in kurash.

She fought through an infected tooth to win India a historic gold in the heptathlon

Pain is the best motivator. 💪Glad to have won a historic gold medal in Women's Heptathlon in the @asiangames2018 for my country.
Thank you everyone for the endless love and support! 🇮🇳 #AsianGames2018 #TeamIndiaAthletics pic.twitter.com/Mcsw6oHbSW

— Swapna Barman (@Swapna_Barman96) August 30, 2018

Heptathlete Swapna Barman’s family went wild cheering her gold at the 2018 Asian Games.  

Family members of Swapna Barman celebrate at their residence in Jalpaiguri after she won gold medal in Women's Heptathlon at #AsianGames. Her mother says,"We're very happy. Me & Swapna's dad toiled hard to help her in her journey. Today all our dreams came true." #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/oXMvTwornT

— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2018

Did you see that coming?

In what has been a pleasant surprise, India have also won medals in disciplines like equestrian (two medals), kurash (two medals), bridge (two medals), wushu (four medals) and sepaktakraw (one).

India’s performance so far

In case you’re wondering, India have won 54 medals so far after 11 days of intense competition. 

Thursday is the last day of the athletics events and India’s track and field athletes have raked in 14 medals so far — five golds while the remaining are silvers. 

India’s shooters have been the second-most successful contingent, winning nine medals. Two of these nine medals are golds, four are silvers while the rest are bronze medals. 

Here’s what India’s medals tally looks like:

Equestrian

After the end of the first round of the jumping individual final:

30. Zahan Kevic Setalvad

36. Kaevaan Kevic Setalvad 

Chetan Reddy Nukala – eliminated

Mouma Das ousted

To be fair, the fourth game was evenly poised but then Chen surged ahead to win it.

The Chinese Taipei paddler outclasses Mouma 11-6, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 to enter the last eight of the women’s singles section. 

Das 0-3

Chen continues to dominate as she wraps up the third game effortlessly. 

Das 0-2 Chen

Despite showing some fight, Mouma loses the second game 5-11 to the ultra-aggressive Chen. The Chinese Taipei paddler is just unstoppable.

Das 0-1 Chen 

India’s Mouma Das loses the first game to Chen Szuyu 6-11, who plays aggressively and bags the last four points in a flash. 

Asian Games 2018: Arpinder Singh, Swapna Barman bag hard-earned golds; Indian paddlers come of age on Day 11 – Firstposthttps://www.firstpost.com

Judoka Garima Choudhary eliminated

India’s premier judoka Garima Choudhary has crashed out of the women’s 70 kg event after losing her Round of 16 bout against Uzbekistan’s Gulnoza Matniyazova.

Deborah and Aleena crash out

India’s cyclists Deborah Herold and Aleena Reji have crashed out from the women’s sprint event. While Herold lost her pre-quarter-final race against Jessica Lee Hoi Yan — finishing 0.703 secs behind the Hong Kong cyclist — Aleena Reji came 0.852 seconds behind Hong Kong’s Sze Wai Lee, who set an Asian Games record with a time of 10.583 seconds to top the qualification. 

Judo

Harshdeep ousted

India’s Harshdeep Singh Brar loses to Korea’s Lee Seungsu in the men’s 81 kg elimination R-16 match after receiving three shido penalties for minor violations.

Judo

Harshdeep enters R-16

India’s Harshdeep Singh Brar beats Sri Lanka’s Rajitha Pushpa Kumara after scoring an ippon, or one full point in his men’s -81kg elimination Round of 32 bout

India’s Deborah Herold is ranked 12th in the women’s sprint qualification after posting a time of 11.775. Meanwhile, compatriot Aleena Reji was last in the 16-women field with a time of 12.339. 

This means Aleena will face off against Hong Kong’s Sze Wai Lee, who set an Asian Games record with a time of 10.583 seconds to top the qualification.

Sandeep Kumar disqualified

Unfortunately for India, Sandeep Kumar has been disqualified at the halfway mark of the men’s 50km racewalk event. He lost contact with the ground thrice during his race — which earned him three green cards and a consequent disqualification under IAAF’s rule 230.7c.

Sandeep Kumar disqualifies 

Unfortunately for India, Sandeep Kumar has been disqualified at the halfway mark of the men’s 50km racewalk event. He lost contact with the ground thrice during his race — which earned him three green cards and a consequent disqualification under IAAF’s rule 230.7c.

Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage of the Day 12 action from the Asian Games. India will look to add more medals to their tally with Manjit Singh and Jinson Johnson participating in the final of the men’s 1500 metres event. Also, Indian men’s hockey will look to book their spot in the final with victory over Malaysia in the semi-final. 

Stay tuned for more updates.