At the continental multi-sport competition's Asian Games in 2023, 24-year-old Kiran Baliyan became just the second Indian to take home a medal in the women's shot put competition.
Shortly
- Women's shot put bronze medalist Kiran Baliyan had a best throw of 17.36 metres.
- Lijiao Gong, a gold medalist in the Olympics, achieved a best performance of 19.58.
- India hasn't won a medal in women's shot put in 72 years thanks to Kiran.
At the continental multi-sport competition in Hangzhou on Friday, September 29, 24-year-old Kiran Baliyan wrote history when she won the bronze medal in the women's shot put, ending India's 72-year medal drought in the discipline.
Kiran Baliyan earned bronze with a personal best leap of 17.36 metres, earning her first-ever major medal. Kiran came in last place, trailing China's Lijiao Gong, the Asian Games gold champion with a best performance of 19.58 metres and an Olympic gold medal.
Jiayuan Song of China took home silver with a best throw of 18.92 metres.
Even though Kiran's best throw lagged far behind the top two Chinese competitors, she still managed to pull away from the rest of the group. Chen-Xin Jian of Taiwan came in fourth with a 16.61-meter throw, and Manpreet Kaur, the second contender from India, won bronze with a 16.25-meter throw.
The throw that won Kiran Baliyan the bronze medal, measuring 17.36 metres, is the second-best throw of her career; the greatest was recorded earlier this year at the national meet in Chandigarh, measuring 17.92 metres.
Before Baliyan's performance on Friday, India has only won one medal in the women's shot put event in the Asian Games. Bronze was Barbara Webster's medal at the 1951 New Delhi Olympics.
At the Asian Games, India is predicted to take home more than 10 medals in the track and field competition, and Kiran has started the ball rolling by writing some history.
OTHER ATHLETIC RESULTS FROM FRIDAY
Tanya Chaudhary and Rachna Kumari of India placed seventh and ninth, respectively, in the women's hammer throw final, which featured 11 competitors, earlier in the day.
In the men's 20km Race Walk final, India's Vikash Singh came in fifth, while Sandeep Kumar was disqualified.
Olympic athlete Priyanka Goswami came in fifth place in the eight-woman final of the women's 20km Race Walk.
In the women's 400-meter heat 1, Aishwarya Mishra excelled, finishing in 52.73 seconds, a season best. She finishes fourth and advances to the final.
Indian Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi qualified for the men's 400m final with a time of 45.76s. In the heats, he came in fifth place overall.
Muhammed Anas Yahiya, who was highly anticipated, came in 10th with a time of 46.29s. In the competition at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Anas took home the silver medal.
