The absence of top stars took some sheen away but India's record-breaking medal haul and a maiden top-of-the-table finish made the just-concluded 22nd Asian Athletics Championship here a memorable one.
Recommended by the Athletics Federation of India, Bhanot fought through a 14-strong challenge in the elections to be picked as one of the five vice-Presidents during the AAA council on the eve of the Asian Championships in Wuhan.
P U Chitra defended her 1500 metres title to give India its third gold medal while Ajay Kumar Saroj and Dutee Chand won a silver and bronze in the men's 1500m and women's 200m respectively on the fourth and final day of the Asian Athletics Championships, in Doha, on Wednesday.
CWG scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi will not oversee the conduct of the 20th Asian Athletics Championships from July 3-7 in Pune, even if he remains the president of the continental body at the elections on July 1, Indian athletic body's chief Adille Sumariwalla said.
Later in the day, Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the organisers of the event, said the Pakistan contingent has arrived at Wagah border.
Commonwealth Games scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi is all set to chair a crucial meeting of the Asian Athletics Association in New Delhi, which will take stock of the continental championships which is scheduled to be held in Chennai in July.
Discus thrower Harwant Kaur, middle distance runner O P Jaisha and decathlete Bharat Inder Singh bagged a bronze each on the second day of the 19th Asian Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, on Friday. Commonwealth Games gold medallist discus thrower Krishna Poonia, however, failed to make it to the podium, finishing fourth.
ndia won its second gold medal, along with the silver, in the women's 400m at the 16th Asian Athletics Championship.
The Indian women's 4x400m relay team, which won the gold in Amman, is expected to win something even this time with the last edition runners Mandeep Kaur, Manjeet Kaur, Sini Jose and K Chitra Soman in the squad for the 18th Asian Athletics Championships, which begins in Guangzhou, China on Tuesday.
It is learnt that Bhanot has been recommended by the Athletics Federation of India to contest the AAA elections to be held on June 1 prior to the Asian Athletics Championships at Wuhan in China from June 3 to 7.
Despite the short notice to prepare for a major meet, the 20th Asian Athletics Championships, scheduled at Pune from July 3-7, will be among the best-organised, declared Athletics Federation of India president Adille Sumariwalla in Mumbai on Friday.
The Athletics Federation of India (AAI) has said that it would try its best to hold the Asian Athletics Championship in another city of the country after the prestigious event, schedule to be held in Chennai, was shunned by the Tamil Nadu government.
The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is one of the best facilities in the country and it has hosted several national championships and the Asian Championships in 2017 during which it had earned praise from the current World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
Jagtar's urine sample 'A', collected during the Federation Cup National Championships in Patiala last month by the NADA, has returned positive for meldonium and he has been put under provisional suspension.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
The Chennai government is refusing to host the Asian Athletics Championships in July in protest against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes that targeted Tamil Tiger rebels.
Quarter-miler Machettira Raju Poovamma and heptathlete Liksy Joseph won a silver each as India added four medals on the second day of the 21st Asian Athletics Championships in Wuhan, China, on Thursday.
India continued its fine run at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships, winning four gold medals so far on a rain-hit second day of the competition in Bhubaneswar.
D P Manu, who finished sixth at the World Championships last year, is yet to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Murali Sreeshankar has been ruled out of Paris Olympics after sustaining a knee injury during training.
Javelin thrower Shivpal Singh makes cut for World Championships
The winners of various events at the Asian Athletics Championships to be held in Ranchi from June 1 to 4 will automatically qualify for the World Championships in London in August, the world body IAAF has said.
With the two silver and one bronze on Tuesday, India stood fourth in the medal tally with two gold, five silver and six bronze at the end of the third and penultimate day.
Sudha Singh clinched a gold in women's 3000m steeplechase event to swell India's medal tally on the third and penultimate day at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneshwar on Saturday.
Shot putter Inderjeet Singh and half-miler Jinson Johnson bagged a gold each as Indians won eight medals in the first leg of the Asian Athletics Grand Prix Series in Bangkok, on Monday.
'She has worked really hard after coming back from injury. The strength and conditioning team have worked really hard to get her in peak physical shape. Technically, she will be using a stiffer and longer pole.'
Shot putter Manpreet Kaur and long distance runner G Lakshmanan grabbed gold medals on a remarkable opening day for India at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships as the hosts won seven medals to sit atop the medal tally, in Bhubaneswar, on Thursday.
Shot putter Om Prakash Karhana and long jumper Mayookha JohnnyMayookha Johnny won a bronze each as India began their campaign at the 20th Asian Athletics Championships on a mixed note on a rain-marred opening day in Pune on Wednesday.
Legendary singer Asha Bhosle, who turned 90 on September 8, 2023, found herself in a 'golden' mix-up when she congratulated hurdler Jyothi Yarraji for winning a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh failed to live up to the expectations as India settled for two silver and two bronze medals on a rather disappointing day on Day 3 of the 20th Asian Athletics Championships in Pune on Friday.
Another gold medal in Paris would further elevate Neeraj Chopra's status as the greatest ever athlete in the history of Indian sport.
India clinched a gold medal in women's 4x 400m relay in a sensational race to finish sixth overall as the curtains were drawn on the 20th Asian Athletics Championships in Pune on Sunday.
90m is not something I want badly: Neeraj Chopra
Build-up hit by pull-outs and dope flunks, India still hopeful of good show in Asian Athletics Championships from Wednesday
India's hurdlers Jyothi Yarraji and Nithya Ramraj advanced to the women's 100m hurdles final, while ace long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin also sailed through.
Ace discus thrower Vikas Gowda clinched the first gold for India as the home team won three medals on the second day to make their presence felt in the 20th Asian Athletics Championships, in Pune on Thursday.
Shot putter Karanveer Singh will be pulled out of the Indian team for the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok starting next week.
Jena is a promising javelin thrower, with a world ranking of 33. He threw his personal best of 84.38 m on July 28, 2023, in Sri Lanka at the 101st Sri Lankan Championships. It was a gold medal-winning throw.
Neeraj Chopra is only the third javelin thrower in history to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championships titles.
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