Women set track on fire, men get silver

The men's relay team provided the silver lining. It was a day, when India won a silver and a bronze as well, reports Ajai Masand.

THE ELUSIVE gold in athletics finally came India's way when the women's 4x400metres relay squad burst onto the big stage clocking 3:32.95 at the Khalifa Stadium here on Tuesday.

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Though Satti Geetha, Pinki Paramanik, Chitra K Soman and Manjeet Kaur were nowhere near the Asian record of 3:24.28, the Indians were runaway winners. Manjeet Kaur, still having blisters on her thigh, provided the final flourish, leaving Kazakhstan's Olga Tereshkova a distant second.

"I cannot explain how happy I am right now. A silver in 400m and now a gold in the relay. What else do I want," said an ecstatic Manjeet Kaur, who paced herself up with around 200 metres to go and built up a huge lead.

It was an action-packed race, but one that was run in front of empty stands. Extreme chill and wind made many Indian spectators leave the stadium quite early, but those who saw the race, would vouch for the fact that the Indian girls put heart and soul into it.

Satti Geeta completed her quarter-mile placed third but once Pinki Paramanik was handed the baton, she ran at full clip to bring India at number two. The tiny Chitra Soman always kept pace with the lead runner and, once she neared the end of her race, she paced herself up.

Finally, Manjeet Kaur, provided the final thrust and her strong, sure-footed strides brought India the booty, and extended their reign in the event.

"We were sure of winning gold in the event. No one can beat us in it," said Satti Geetha and added that there was no strategy for the race. "We were told by our coach to go all out and that's what we did."

Pinki Paramanik, who had narrowly missed bronze in the 400m and was "reprimanded" for that, said: "I was earlier supposed to run the last lap, but we changed our plan as we needed a fast runner in the second lap," said the Railway girl. "I think I have made up for my disappointing show in the 400m,"she added.

With gaiety all around, Satti Geetha said, "We have worked hard for this day. We have toiled for seven months, attended so many competitions and camps, our hard work has borne fruit."

The men's relay team provided the silver lining. It was a day, when India won a silver and a bronze as well, with the quartet of TA Backer, Abraham Joseph, Bhupinder Singh and KM Binu coming second clocking 3:06.65.

However, a controversy — overshadowed by the fine performance of the women's relay team — happened in the women's 1500m when India's best medal hope in the event, OP Jaisha, pulled out after covering less than 200 metres.

Whether she pulled a muscle or someone pushed her could not be known as she left the stadium immediately. In the event, Siniomol Paulose clinched bronze with 4:15.09.