BAHRAIN maintained their spectacular winning form last night in the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, capturing another five medals, including three gold and two silver medals, on the penultimate day of action.
Bahrain head into today’s fourth and final day of competition with a total of 14 medals already in the bag. These include seven gold, five silver and two bronze medals. They have a few more opportunities to add to their tally by the end of the championships this evening.
With their seven gold medals, the Bahrainis are already assured of their best-ever gold medal haul in the history of the continental meeting.
Their previous best was five gold medals, won in 2013 in Pune, India, and in 2011 in Kobe, Japan. The Bahrainis are also in prime position to top the overall medal table for the first time ever.
Winning the gold were the quartet of “Golden Girl” Salwa Naser, Aminat Yusuf Jamal, Musa Isah and Abbas Abubaker in the 4x400metres mixed relay; Winfred Yavi in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase; and Shitaye Eshete in the women’s 10,000m.
Shitaye not only captured first place in her long-distance run, but she also set a new championship record, shattering the previous best by more than half-a-minute.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s bronze medals were claimed by Bahrain’s women’s 4x100m relay team that featured Salwa, Edidiong Odiong, Iman Jassim and Hajar Alkhaldi; while Tigest Mekonen joined Yavi on the steeplechase podium.