Wind spoils Dushyant’s surge, settles for bronze
26 Sept 2014 4:01 AM IST
Braving cold weather and hampered by a strong wind that seemed to affect him more than others, Dushyant Chauhan, hung in for a bronze medal that looked like being a gold till 200m from the finish in the 2000 metres men’s lightweight single sculls event. The medal, as also any more that may come India’s way will be the team’s tribute to Dharmesh Sangwan, a silver medallist from the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. Sangwan lost his life while serving in the UN Peacekeeping Forces last year.
He had turned a coach in 2009.
Sangwan and his then teammate Satish Joshi had won a gold in the 2007 Asian Rowing Championships at the same lake in Incheon and that win instilled a belief in Indian rowers that they could do well at the Asian level because it was India’s first major gold at the Asian level.
India’s Swaran Singh Virk has reached the finals of men’s open singles sculls and is a big favourite for the gold. Dushyant seemed destined for a gold as he raced past early leader Lok Kwan hoi of Hong Kong after the first 500m. He kept the lead past halfway mark at 1000m and stayed there till just past the 1750 mark. Then he seemed to be hit by the winds and had trouble pushing ahead.
Lok and then South Korea’s Lee Hak-beom overtook the Indian, who left clutching a bronze. In the closing metres, it seemed Lee of Korea might even overtake Lok, but the latter hung in for the gold.
Lok won in 7:25.04s with Lee finishing in 7:25.95 and Dushyant crossed the finish in 7:26.57s giving India its only medal for the day bronze. ‘I am feeling very good because it is my first Asian Games medal, but I felt it could have been gold, but for the weather. I will try to do better next time. I want the gold. The weather was very cold and windy,’ said Dushyant.
The Army rower, making his Asian Games debut, added, ‘I was confident of the gold but my lane was the most affected by the strong wind. However I am happy to win the bronze medal.’
Four years ago in Guangzhou single sculler Bajrang Lal Takhar made history by winning the first rowing gold in Singles Sculls and in 2006 Doha he won a silver.? This time Swaran Singh is expected to keep up the Indian streak in singles sculls on Thursday.
He had turned a coach in 2009.
Sangwan and his then teammate Satish Joshi had won a gold in the 2007 Asian Rowing Championships at the same lake in Incheon and that win instilled a belief in Indian rowers that they could do well at the Asian level because it was India’s first major gold at the Asian level.
India’s Swaran Singh Virk has reached the finals of men’s open singles sculls and is a big favourite for the gold. Dushyant seemed destined for a gold as he raced past early leader Lok Kwan hoi of Hong Kong after the first 500m. He kept the lead past halfway mark at 1000m and stayed there till just past the 1750 mark. Then he seemed to be hit by the winds and had trouble pushing ahead.
Lok and then South Korea’s Lee Hak-beom overtook the Indian, who left clutching a bronze. In the closing metres, it seemed Lee of Korea might even overtake Lok, but the latter hung in for the gold.
Lok won in 7:25.04s with Lee finishing in 7:25.95 and Dushyant crossed the finish in 7:26.57s giving India its only medal for the day bronze. ‘I am feeling very good because it is my first Asian Games medal, but I felt it could have been gold, but for the weather. I will try to do better next time. I want the gold. The weather was very cold and windy,’ said Dushyant.
The Army rower, making his Asian Games debut, added, ‘I was confident of the gold but my lane was the most affected by the strong wind. However I am happy to win the bronze medal.’
Four years ago in Guangzhou single sculler Bajrang Lal Takhar made history by winning the first rowing gold in Singles Sculls and in 2006 Doha he won a silver.? This time Swaran Singh is expected to keep up the Indian streak in singles sculls on Thursday.
Next Story
