Gold medallist China's Jianan Wang celebrates on the podium with silver medallist India's Sreeshankar and bronze medallist China's Yuhao Shi during the men's long jump medal ceremony. - Reuters
HANGZHOU (AFP): Dethroned Chinese world champions Wang Jianan and Feng Bin bounced back to win Asian Games gold on Sunday in front of a delirious home crowd and then set their sights on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Men's long jump ace Wang and women's discus star Feng were both toppled at the world championships in August.
But they were in a different class on home soil, adding to the hosts' haul of 10 golds so far on day three of the athletics at the 80,000 capacity Hangzhou Olympic stadium.
Another winner for China was Lin Yuwei in the 100m hurdles.
Bahrain's 3,000m steeplechase world champion Winfred Yavi was untouchable, winning the women's 1,500m in 4mins 11.65sec, while India claimed two titles on the night.
"Happiness. Tears of joy," said Yavi, who will be hot favourite in the steeplechase on Monday after bagging gold ahead of Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech at the worlds last month in Budapest.
"There were a lot of people cheering, it feels like the Olympics and the track looks like at the world championships," Yavi added.
Wang, nicknamed Eddie, leapt an impressive 8.22m on his first jump to show he meant business, and that proved enough to defend his title.
India's Murali Sreeshankar (8.19m) and China's Shi Yuhao (8.10m) rounded out the podium.
"I was worried about being too nervous but today I performed well and I'll continue to work hard," said Wang, who started his career as a pole vaulter.
"The Paris Olympics is my next mission and goal."
Wang soared to a mammoth 8.36m in Eugene, Oregon last year to edge Olympic gold medallist Miltiadis Tentoglou and win his -- and China's -- first long jump world title.
But the Greek star got his revenge by winning at Budapest, with Wang's 8.05m only enough for fifth.
(left to right) Silver medallist China’s Jiang Zhichao, gold medallist China’s Feng Bin, and bronze medallist India’s Seema Punia celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's discus throw final athletics event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on October 1, 2023. - AFP
- Wife wants gold -
Feng was also beaten in Hungary, with Laulauga Tausaga pulling off a surprise win in the discus by beating fellow American and Olympic champion Valarie Allman, with the Chinese thrower settling for bronze.
It followed Feng's stunning victory at the 2022 world championships over two-time Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic.
Feng emphatically bounced back in Hangzhou, throwing a new Games-record 67.93m on her opening attempt. It proved unbeatable.
Teammate Jiang Zhichao (61.04) was a distant second ahead of India's Seema Punia.
"It lays the foundation for me to strive for better results in the Paris Olympics," she said.
In other action, India's Tajinderpal Singh Toor successfully defended his shot putt title, but left it late.
A former navy officer, he sent down three no-throws and was trailing Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Tolo heading into his final effort.
But he delivered with 20.36m to win ahead of Tolo (20.18m) and China's Liu Yang.
"I feel really good. My wife asked me to bring her gold, only gold," said Toor, after injuries hampered him at the Tokyo Olympics and then sidelined him from the world championships and Commonwealth Games last year.
His teammate and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Avinash Sable stormed to the men's 3,000 steeplechase title in a new Asiad record 8:19.50.
Sable, who ran six kilometres (four miles) a day to school as a child before fine-tuning his ability in the army, led from start to finish..
Qatar's Mohamad Algarni won the men's 1,500m in 3:38.36 while China's Zheng Ninali was crowned women's heptathlon champion.
Bahrain's 100m hurdles specialist Devynne Charlton, who finished fourth at the world championships, skipped Hangzhou, with China's Lin stepping up to win gold in 12.74. - AFP
