DOHA: Qatar’s star performer Mutaz Essa Barshim created history at the 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships. On Friday, he became the first-ever athlete to win an event in the Championships four times in a row by clearing 2.35 metres bar in the high jump event.

Barshim had won gold medals in the event in 2010 in Tehran clearing 2.20m, then in 2012 in Hangzhou, when he went past 2.37m and later in the same city in 2014 he had cleared 2.36 metres.

On Friday evening, the 24-year old ace high-jumper first cleared the 2.31m mark to clinch the gold and later upped it, going past 2.35 metres.
However, the reigning champion, Barshim was far from content and attempted 2.40m too. Unfortunately, he missed the mark by a whisker.

Later, an elated Barshim said: “It’s a home gold. It cannot get any better than this.”

Syria’s Majd Eddin Ghazal claimed the silver in the event with a clearance of 2.28m metres, while Sri Lanka’s Manjula Kumara ended with a bronze with 2.24m on board.

India's Mayookha delights crowds

There was cheer from the Indian contingent and so also the Indian diaspora at the meet, when India's Mayookha Johny won the long jump gold medal with a 6.35m leap.

She finished ahead of Vietnam's Bui Thi Thu Thao and Kazakhstan's Olga Rypakova (6.22).

“Winning in Doha made me really happy, especially since I’m not used to competing indoors. However, I expected something better than 6.35M. But I’m not complaining at all. The Asian title is quite an achievement,” said Mayookha.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Hassan Hossein annexed the men’s 60M title with a new championship record of 6.56sec. He broke the previous mark, set by Qatar’s Smauel Francis Adelebari, in 2010 in Tehran.

Reza Ali Ghasemi (6.66), another Iranian, and the Philippines’ Eric Shawn Brazas Cray (6.70) finished second and third respectively.

“I’m so excited I’ve never run faster before. My main objective is to qualify for the Olympic final in 100M. Of course I’ve to work hard to improve my personal best (10.10). I want to thank everybody who helped me become the fastest Asian indoors — my coach, training partners and family,” he said.

Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Zyabkina won the women’s 60M title with a new championship record of 7.27sec. She finished ahead of China’s Yuan Qiqi (7.33) and India’s Dutee Chand (7.37).

Zyabbkina said she was pleased with the win. My start is always sluggish, but today I didn’t pay the price as I managed to catch my opponents and beat them. If I improve my start, I can run 7.05. That would be my goal at the World Championships in Portland. Outdoors, I’m going to concentrate on the 200M. It’s the distance I prefer most,” she said.

In women's pole vault, China's Li Ling jumped 4.70m to better her own Championship (4.50m) and Asian indoor record (4.51m). Her compatriot Ren Mengqian finished second with a 4.30m clearance while Japan’s Tomomi Abiko (4.15m) was third.

“I was ready to jump 4.80, but even 4.70, a new area record, is a very satisfying result. It was my first indoor competition this year. I’m confident I can do better than that. I hope I’ll jump higher in Portland when it matters the most,” she said.

“I don’t just want to be known as the taller pole vaulter (she is 1.85M), but also the best. I believe I’ve the potential,” she said.

Bahraini athletes up the tempo

In the morning session, Bahrain’s Oluwakemi Adekoya created a new Asian Indoor and Championships record.

The 23-year old, Nigeria-born athlete clocked 51.68 seconds in the women’s 400m heats at Doha’s Aspire Dome, improving the meet record by 1.6 seconds.
Speaking post her impressive performance in the heats she said: “I didn’t know what to expect because this was my first indoor race. Running an Area record in the morning heats was awesome.”

“Inshallah I will run under 51 seconds in the final. My main goal this year is the Olympics. I want to do something great in 400M hurdles, for sure better than what I did at the World Champs.”

Adekoya, who goes into Saturday’s semi-final and final, will be a favourite for a podium finish.

In the 400m men’s event the Championship record of 47.81 was improved twice. In heat one, Abubaker Abbas of Bahrain slashed 0.47 seconds from the existing record and later Mikhail Litvin on Kazakhstan further improved it by posting 47.28 on the board.