Hangzhou, China, September 29, 2023: Two Chinese veterans, Gong Lijiao and Wang Zheng, won gold in the women’s shot put and women’s hammer throw, respectively, on the opening night of athletics at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Friday.
Shot putter Gong, 34, completed a hat-trick of consecutive gold medals at the Asian Games, but for hammer-throwing compatriot Wang, 35, it was a new experience having never tasted sweet victory at the continental showpiece.
It was an emotional moment for Wang as the tears flowed freely after she finally accomplished her dream. For three successive Asian Games – 2018 Jakarta, 2014 Incheon and 2010 Guangzhou - Wang had finished with the silver medal.
Last night, as the country celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, the perennial bridesmaid turned into a tearful bride by winning her first Asian Games gold medal.
“I can’t believe I did it. This is my fourth Asian Games. At the last three Games, I finished second. Finally my dream came true on the special day of the mid-autumn festival. I am very excited,” said an emotional Wang after she had completed a lap-of-honour in front of adoring Chinese fans.
Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Gong had been there and done it. The 34-year-old veteran, who has a full medal set of Olympic medals – gold in Tokyo 2020, silver in London 2012 and bronze in Beijing 2008 - was unstoppable as she dominated a 12-strong field.
Gong won with a throw of 19.58 metres. Her closest challenger was another Chinese, Song Jiayuan, who took silver with 18.92m while India’s Kiran Baliyan won the bronze with 17.36.
At 35 years, this is probably Wang’s swansong in the hammer throw. And to win on what is most likely the last throw of the dice seemed to have got to her as she stole the media limelight from her younger opponent Zhao Jie who won the silver medal.
After two failed throws on her second and third attempts, Wang took the lead from compatriot Zhao - who threw 69.44 on her second attempt - for the first time of the night when she suddenly found her rhythm to nail a 69.83m throw. She had started with 65.83.
It just got better for her. Her fifth throw was 70.86m and then her sixth and final attempt was a lung-busting 71.53m. It was good enough to beat Zhao and the rest of the nine-strong field who didn’t come close.
“I started slowly. Today I was not at my best and maybe I was a bit too anxious. And it was raining and slippery and the conditions didn’t help. But I’m happy to have won,” Wang added.
For Zhao, 20, finishing second was a big deal in itself. “Just standing on the podium with Wang is enough. I couldn’t manage to break 70m, and that is my next goal.”
Korean Kim Taehui won the bronze medal with a personal best of 64.14
In the women’s 10,000m, Bahrain’s Violah Motosio led from start to finish and won the gold medal in a time of 31 minutes 43.73 seconds, a personal best.
“It was tough out there. The conditions underfoot were slippery and, despite the rain, it was still very humid. But I was in prime condition and I was happy to dominate the race,” said Motosio.
Japan’s Ririka Hironaka won the silver finishing in 31:50.74, seven seconds behind the champion. In third place was Kazakhstan’s Caroline Kipkirui in 33:15.83.
