Athletics Report Asian Youth Games Nanjing 2013
>> August 23, 2013
Asian Youth
Games – day four review (22 August 2013)
An afternoon storm in Nanjing, was a welcome relief from
the heat wave conditions the athletes endured on the first three days. The
lower temperatures were also timely with four endurance events on the program.
The outstanding success of coach Junwei Yang continued on the final
evening on the AYG with his athletes claiming the two discus titles on offer in
world leading performances.
Bronze medallists at the recent world youth
championships, Yulong Cheng (CHN)
dominated the boys’ discus from his first throw of 58.30m. His series included
two throws over 60 metres, but his best of 62.03m on the final throw, was just
short of his personal record of 62.80m, set in Donetsk, which was the world’s
leading under-17 performance this year.
"I didn't feel good about the last throw. I was a little surprised
because I didn't expect to throw that far,” he said. "I'm very excited.
It's not until today that all my toil and sweat finally paid off. I'm grateful
for the chance that allowed me to perform well here."
The fourth gold for the Yang-coached group
was nailed by girls’ discus champion, Kangping
Sun (CHN), who set a world leading performance of 49.28m in the first round
to win gold by nearly five metres.
“I'm very excited now. In the beginning of the
competition, I felt very nervous, but I got more and more relaxed. My coach
told me to compete at my normal level, take it easy and perform as usual.”
Yang and his four throwers from Lianyungang
Sports school in Jiangsu Province, depart Nanjing with four titles and a string
of outstanding performances.
Hunan sprinter Guifen Huang
(CHN), who won her speciality the 400 metres on day two, added the 200 metres
title tonight in Nanjing with a massive personal best of 23.82, her first ever
sub-24 performance.
A
semi-finalist in the 400 metres at last month’s IAAF world youth championships,
Huang hopes to continue her career on the international stage.
"I
hope to take part in some bigger international sporting events, and I plan to
take part in the YOG next year."
The athletes in the 3000 metre events led from the gun and were never
under threat as they took the titles.
Liu Hongliang (CHN), a student at Inner
Mongolia Vocational College of Physical Education in Tuquan City, led at each
kilometre, passed in very uneven splits, of 2:57, 2:42 and 2:46, hitting the
line in 8:25.86. In the girls race, Japan’s Fukiko Ando was even more dominant. She recorded kilometres splits
of 3:05, 3:09 and 3:09, stopping the clock at 9:23.50, 10 seconds outside her
personal best. Ando had run away from the field very early and after four laps
led the Korean pair, working together, by 30 metres. This was extended to 120
metres by the finish line.
Indian athlete, Anjana
Dhavalu Thamake, running for the Independent Olympic Athletes team, came
from behind to win the girls 800 metres in 2:11.47. In the boy’s 800m, Korea’s Sangmin Lee led at the bell in 56.61,
going on to win in 1:54.64.
Other winners on the final evening were:
·
Chun-Han Yang (TPE) boys’ 200m 21.47
·
Witthawal Thumcha (THA) boys’ 400m hurdles 52.79
·
Ying Yu (CHN) girls’ 400m hurdles 63.28
·
Yuji Hiramatsu (JPN) boys’ high jump 2.06m
·
Yue Ma (CHN) girls’ triple jump 12.55m
Healthy crowd numbers in excess of 20,000 on most
evenings augurs well for next year’s youth Olympics. As we have come to know,
the enthusiastic Chinese crowds politely support all competitors, but can
always find an extra cheer for a host nation athlete.
Team China dominated the competition taking 19 gold,
ahead of Japan 4, Thailand 3, Korea and Chinese Taipei with two each and on one
medal Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Independent Olympic Athletes.
Maurice Nicholas (SIN), Honorary Secretary of the Asian
Athletics Association, was full of praise for the organisers.
"Let me congratulate the organisers on a very well organised games
that is running so well. Perhaps the most beautiful thing is that everything
runs on time. I simply couldn't find any problems."
However Mr Nicholas has been
concerned with the lack of athletes converting this junior success into senior
ranks.
"Perhaps the biggest
(challenge) is the attrition. The youth are doing very well at the moment and
this is good for (next year's Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing) but due to studies
and other things, the number of Asian athletes in the (older groups) dwindles.
We hope this will change with these great results (in Nanjing).
“This is the first step, the
youth, next we have the juniors and then the seniors. It is a very good sign to
see these youth doing so well in Nanjing. It's been very, very encouraging. It
is wonderful to see all the personal bests up on the scoreboard so often. This
is a very good sign for the youth of Asia, and for athletics in Asia.”
David Tarbotton for AdrianSprints.com
*photo- Thailand athlete Tontrakan Chuthueng competed in boys discus throw (by Lintao Zhang)
