Asian Games, Athletics: Six gold, 14 silver, nine bronze – India end with best-ever tally since 1951

The athletics events for Indians was marred with controversy, but also had its share of glory.

Oct 5, 2023 - 19:30

Asian Games, Athletics: Six gold, 14 silver, nine bronze – India end with best-ever tally since 1951

The 68-member Indian athletics contingent finished their 2022 Asian Games campaign pocketing a total of 29 medals – six gold, 14 silver, and nine bronze.

This is the country’s highest medal tally in the sport since the turn of the century. It is also the country’s best-ever showing in terms of number of medals since the inaugural edition in 1951 when the track and field athletes from the country pocketed a total of 34 medals, including 10 gold.

While it was indeed a highly successful campaign, as expected, which reiterated India’s rise as a force in athletics, it did not come without its share of controversies and twist of the unprecedented.

Also read: With its largest contingent, India aim for biggest medal tally in Hangzhou

Poor officiating

The Indian athletes were subjected to poor officiating three times during the week-long athletics competition in Hangzhou.

It all started with Jyothi Yarraji being disqualified from the women’s 100m hurdles final for no fault of her own. As local favourite Wu Yanni left the starting blocks before the starting pistol was fired, the officials decided to send off Yarraji from the race too in a bizarre move. Following a lot of on field deliberations, both the athletes were allowed to run under protest.

While Yarraji finished third, Yanni took the...