Bahrain’s Adekoya comes back from doping ban to claim third Asian Games gold

HANGZHOU – For the first time in years, Oluwakemi Adekoya is running not from her past but forward with her life.

A four-year doping ban has not dimmed the Bahraini’s ambition and the 30-year-old continued her dominant form at the Asian Games on Tuesday, claiming the 400m hurdles title in a meet record of 54.45 seconds, ahead of China’s Mo Jiadie (55.01sec) and India’s Vithya Ramraj (55.68sec).

Her effort at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium was enough to rewrite her own mark of 55.09sec set at the 2014 Incheon Games. It was her third gold here in China, after the 400m and the mixed 4x400m relay.

She had won the 400m hurdles in 54.48sec at the 2018 edition in Jakarta, but was stripped of the victory after testing positive for an illegal steroid in an out-of-competition test and was provisionally suspended.

On getting the record, the Nigeria-born Adekoya said: “(At the) last Asian Games I broke it, but what happened, happened.”

The former indoor world champion added: “I just wanted to fight and get the gold medal, and fight for a new record.

“My focus was 53 (seconds). I could (only) do 54 (seconds) tonight because I have run too many races. I still have to race tomorrow, it’s okay.”

There was a surprise in the women’s javelin, with Indian Annu Rani winning a historic gold for her country with a season’s best of 62.92m.

The 31-year-old, who clinched the bronze at the 2014 Asiad, fended off competition from a field that included China’s reigning Olympic champion Liu Shiying, who finished fifth with 57.62m.

Sri Lanka’s Nadeesha Dilhan Hatarabage Lekamge was second with a personal best of 61.57m, while Liu’s compatriot Lyu Huihui (61.29m) was third.

“I am surprised but I tried my best because for years I wasn’t doing well,” said Rani, who was also the bronze medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“I told myself ‘never give up’ and this is the last competition of this year, so I tried 100 per cent and won this medal.

“Many times I put pressure on myself and I don’t do well, so I tried to calm myself.”

In the women’s high jump, Uzbekistan’s Safina Sadullaeva prevented compatriot Svetlana Radzivil from claiming her fourth straight title, pipping the latter to the gold on countback with her season-best jump of 1.86m.

Singapore’s Michelle Sng finished 12th after clearing 1.70m.

Despite the title, Sadullaeva wanted more from her performance.

She said: “I hoped that I would jump higher today. I don’t know why I jumped bad. It is not a good result, but I take a gold medal.

“It is not high. I want a result, not a medal. I want a (personal) best result this season.”

The men’s triple jump was won by China’s Olympic silver medallist Zhu Yaming in 17.13m, while Qatar’s Abderrahman Almoubarrake Samba Alsaleck retained his 400m hurdles title in 48.04sec.

India’s Parul Chaudhary clinched the women’s 5,000m in 15min 14.75sec.

In the men’s 800m, Saudi Arabia’s Essa Kzwani snagged gold in 1:48.05.

The night concluded with the drama-filled men and women’s 4x100m relays.

It began with the women’s 4x100m relay, which China won in 43.39sec, followed by Thailand (44.32) and Malaysia (45.01).

Bahrain had initially claimed a podium finish but were disqualified for passing the baton outside the takeover zone.

Singapore’s quartet of Shanti Pereira, fresh off

her 200m gold on Monday,

Elizabeth-Ann Tan, Roxanne Enriquez and Bernice Liew were fifth in 45.34.

The Chinese also triumphed in a scintillating men’s 4x100m with a season’s best of 38.29sec, ahead of Japan (38.44) and South Korea (38.74).

Four countries – South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia – set national records, but Malaysia were disqualified for lane infringement.

Singapore’s Mark Lee, Joshua Chua, Calvin Quek and Marc Louis were eighth in 39.38sec.