India enjoyed a spectacular day at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, on Thursday, May 29, 2025, with Jyothi Yarraji, Avinash Sable, and the women's 4x400m relay team all clinching gold medals. These victories significantly boosted India's medal tally and showcased the country's growing strength in athletics on the continental stage.
Jyothi Yarraji successfully defended her title in the women's 100m hurdles, setting a new championship record in the process. Yarraji clocked an impressive 12.96 seconds, surpassing the previous record and solidifying her position as the top hurdler in Asia. Her performance was a testament to her resilience and technical prowess, especially considering she had a difficult lead-up to the championships due to a hamstring injury sustained in early April. Despite a less-than-ideal start in the race, Yarraji surged ahead in the final stretch, demonstrating exceptional grit and power to secure the gold. Japan's Yumi Tanaka and China's Wu Yanni finished second and third, respectively. Yarraji's gold marked her as only the fifth athlete to successfully defend the 100m hurdles title at the Asian Championships, joining the ranks of legends such as Emi Akimoto, Zhang Yu, Su Yinping, and Sun Yawei.
Avinash Sable ended India's 36-year wait for a gold medal in the men's 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Athletics Championships. Sable dominated the race, clocking a season-best time of 8:20.92 to claim the top spot on the podium. The last Indian man to win gold in this event was Dina Ram in 1989. Sable's victory was particularly sweet, as he had previously won a silver medal at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Doha. Japan's Yutaro Niinae initially led the race, but Sable unleashed a powerful kick in the final lap to secure the win. Qatar's Zakaria Elahlaami took home the bronze. Sable's gold medal not only ended a long-standing drought for India in the event but also added another significant achievement to his already impressive career, which includes a gold medal at the Asian Games and two Olympic appearances.
The Indian women's 4x400m relay team also delivered a stellar performance, winning gold with a season-best time of 3:34.18. The quartet of Jisna Mathew, Rupal Chaudhary, Kunja Rajitha, and Subha Venkatesan showcased excellent teamwork and determination to finish ahead of Vietnam and Sri Lanka, who won silver and bronze, respectively. This victory marked India's first gold medal in the event since 2013. The women's relay team's success underscored the resurgence of Indian women's relay teams on the Asian stage. In the men's 4x400m relay, the Indian team of Jay Kumar, Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji, and Vishal TK secured a silver medal with a time of 3:03.67, finishing just behind Qatar.
In addition to these gold medals, India secured further medals on the same day. Ancy Sojan won silver in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.33m, while Shaili Singh took bronze with a jump of 6.30m. Reihaneh Mobini Arani of Iran won the gold medal in the event.
These outstanding performances contributed to India's impressive medal haul at the Asian Athletics Championships, highlighting the country's growing prowess in a variety of athletic disciplines. As the competition continues, India looks set to continue its strong showing and further solidify its position as a leading force in Asian athletics.
