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By Elshadai Negash
Doha, QATAR -- A commanding run in the women’s 800m by Bahrain’s Maryam Yusuf Jamal, a shock 10,000m victory for Bahrain’s Hasan Mahboob, and a tremendous show of front running by China’s Zhou Chunxiu in the marathon were the highlights of the third day of athletics action in the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
Jamal strode clear just 200 meters into the race and never looked back taking victory in 2:01.79 with India’s Santhi Soundarajan and Kazkhstan’s Viktoriya Yalovtseva clinging on desperately to take silver and bronze respectively.
“I feel very happy,” said a delighted Jamal. “This is very special for Bahrain and I am glad to have made the country happy. They opened a big opportunity for me to compete and win.”
Jamal, who had been entered by the Bahraini Federation to also compete over 1500m and 5000m, will be chasing for 1500m gold in Tuesday’s final, but said she will not take part over the 5000m.
There was a minor surprise in the men’s 10,000m when Bahrain’s Hasan Mahboob defeated the Asian record holder Ahmed Hasan Abdullah.
Abdullah led for the lion’s share of the 25 laps but had little answer when the trio of Bahrain’s Adam Ismael, Qatar’s Essa Ismael Rasheed, and Mahboob sprinted past at the bell. With 200m to go, the unheralded Mahboob launched a vicious kick that took him clear of the chasing duo. And despite a last gasp effort from Rasheed, Mahboob comfortably held on to take victory in 27:58.88.
“I usually run on the roads and this is my first track race,” Mahboob said. “I was afraid of the other runners because they are experienced. I thank Bahrain for giving me this opportunity to compete here.”
In the women’s marathon, Zhou Chunxiu seemed too adventurous for the tough course in Doha when she took the lead by the 5 kilometer mark. But despite the intentions of the chasing Japanese duo Kiyoko Shimahara and Kayoko Obata to pull back her lead, the 27-year old Chinese held on to take victory in 2:27.03.
“I was in good shape today,” she said after the race. “I have been training for this event and was confident. It was absolutely not comfortable and it made me exhausted. It really affected my performance today.”
On Friday, Japan’s Kayoko Fukushi dominated the women’s 10,000m from start to finish taking victory in 31:29.38, narrowly missing her country’s national record.
The 24-year old, who is her country’s national record holder over the 3000m and 5000m, hit the front at the beginning of the race and despite the intentions of Bahrain’s Jasim Kareema Saleh and her compatriot Hiromi Ominami, she was well clear of the field with more than fifteen laps to spare.
"The gold medal is good,” she said. “But I wanted to achieve a national record. I had imagined I would achieve a national record, but something was not right for me to do that today.”
Sunday’s action includes finals in the men’s 1500m and marathon.
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