India continued their stranglehold in women’s 4x400m relay event in the Asian Games as its quartet ran a brilliant race to win the gold for the fourth time on the trot in Games record time in the 17th edition in Incheon on Thursday.

The quartet of Priyanka Panwar, Tintu Luka, Mandeep Kaur and M.R. Poovamma won an easy race in 3:28.68 to improve upon the earlier Games record of 3:29.02 which was also in the name of the gold-winning Indian team in 2010. This was the second gold for India from athletics after Seema Punia bagged the yellow metal in women’s discus throw.

Japan won the silver in 3:30.80 while China bagged the bronze in 3:32.02. The first lapper, Panwar was, however, lagging behind her Japanese counterpart but Luka, who won a silver in 800m race, ran a brilliant race to recover the loss ground for India.

India took a small lead after two laps before Mandeep widened the gap in the third lap after holding out a strong challenge from her Japanese counterpart. Poovamma, who won a bronze in 400m race, then anchored India to gold by blasting her way to the finishing line.

This was the fourth time India has bagged gold in women’s 4x400m relay in Asian Games as the country has been winning the event since the 2002 Busan Games.

Mandeep Kaur, who ran an impressive third leg was part of that gold-winning quartet in the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / PTI / Incheon – October 02nd, 2014