Hangzhou, China, October 4, 2023: Sri Lankan teenager Tharushi Dissanayaka gave the island nation its first Asian Games gold medal in athletics in 21 years when she won the women’s 800 metres at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on Wednesday.
Dissanayaka, 18, clocked two minutes 00.66 seconds to earn Sri Lanka its first Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou. It was also the first gold medal for the country in track and field since Busan 2002 when Susanthika Jayasinghe won the women’s 100m final and Damayanthi Darsha won the women’s 400m final.
Dissanayaka overhauled race leader Wang Chunyu of China in the last 50 metres and smiled joyously, pumping her right fist, as she crossed the tape first. India’s Harmilan Bains took the silver in 2:03.75 and Wang the bronze in 2:03.90.
“I took up athletics as I wanted to follow in my elder brother’s footsteps. He used to travel overseas a lot for competition and I also wanted to do that. I’m happy I followed him as my dream has come true tonight, winning a gold medal for my country,” said Dissanayaka, who is also the reigning Asian champion in the 800m.
Dissanayaka was not done for the night. Coming out 45 minutes later, she anchored Sri Lanka to a bronze medal in the women’s 4x400m relay showing utter determination as she overhauled the Chinese anchor in the last leg with 100 metres to the finish line.
The Bahrain quartet led by Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya took the gold medal in the relay in 3:27.65. It was Adekoya’s fourth gold in Hangzhou. India took the silver in 3:27.85 and Sri Lanka the bronze in 3:30.88.
India added the gold medal in the men’s 4x400m relay, recording 3:01.58, ahead of Qatar in 3:02.05 and Sri Lanka in 3:02.55.
Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew completed the 5,000m/10,000m double, clocking a Games record 13:17.40 in the shorter distance. India’s Avinash Mukund Sable, 3000m steeplechase champion, won the silver in 13:21.09, while another Bahraini, Dawit Fikadu Admasu took the bronze in 13:25.63.
China continued to dominate in race walking, setting a Games record of five hours 16 minutes and 41 seconds in the 35km mixed team event. Japan finished second in 5:22:11 and India third in 5:51.14.
Uzbekistan’s Sharifa Davronova won the women’s triple jump gold with a leap of 14.09m. China’s Zeng Rui took the silver with 13.92 while Japan’s Mariko Morimoto the bronze with 13.78.
