Asian Games 2023 Day 8 Highlights: Sable, Tajinder collect gold as India's medal count goes past 50

20:16 (IST)

That brings us to the end of our coverage of Day 8 of the 2023 Asian Games, with India winning a total of 14 medals on a remarkable Sunday — the lion’s share of which was won by the track and field contingent. India have gone past the 50-medal mark now, ending the day with 52 medals to their name — 13 of them gold, and are firmly ahead of Uzbekistan at the fourth spot on the table.

Mission ‘Sau Paar’ looks very much within reach should the Indians continue performing the way they did today.

Do join us tomorrow for Day 9 of the 19th Asian Games. Till then, good night!

19:45 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

CHINA WIN GOLD! Hongyang Weng demolishes Mithun Manjunath 21-12, 21-4 in the deciding match of the men’s badminton final as China bounce back from 0-2 down to win a second gold medal on the trot!

India though, end Day 8 with another medal — the silver their first ever in Asian Games men’s badminton!

19:31 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Game 2 of the men’s badminton final decider appears headed in one direction, with Manjunath hardly putting up a fight against Weng at the moment.

Weng’s leading 11-1 at the moment, and is a few smashes away from helping China retaining the gold medal!

19:27 (IST)

Decathlete Tejaswin Shankar sure isn't happy about Jyothi Yarraji nearly getting disqualified for no fault of hers

Jyoti Yarraji was robbed in front of 80,000 people today! Disgraceful by the Chinese athlete ❎— Tejaswin Shankar (TJ) (@TejaswinShankar) October 1, 2023

19:19 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Dramatic scenes in the women’s 100m hurdles final. Both Yanni Wu and Jyothi Yarraji are warned by the officials for a false start even though replays show it was clearly China’s Wu who was at fault. Yarraji is on the verge of being disqualified for no fault of hers, but eventually the officials allow both athletes to run the race.

Wu wins the event and is followed by compatriot Yuewi Lin, with Yarraji initially winning bronze.

However, officials later disqualify Wu for her false start, clearly identifying her as the guilty party. With that, Jyothi Yarraji’s bronze medal gets UPGRADED TO SILVER!

19:08 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

It’s Mithun Manjunath vs Hongyang Weng in the deciding clash of the men’s badminton final between title holders China and India!

Manjunath are putting up an admirable fight in Game 1 of the decider, with the scoreline reading 11-8 in favour of Weng. The tide is firmly in favour of the home side at the moment, and it certainly appears to be China’s game to lose at the moment.

18:55 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

MEDAL ALERT: Seema Punia wins bronze with a season-best effort of 58.62m! China complete a 1-2 finish in the event with Bin Feng and Zhichao Jiang winning gold and silver respectively.

18:49 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Another medal in track and field today! Nandini Agasara wins bronze in women’s heptathlon with a combined tally of 5712 points after topping the 800m event.

Swapna Barman narrowly misses out on a podium finish after talling 5,708 points.

18:41 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

China bounce back and level the men’s badminton final against India!

Liu and Ou defeat Dhruv and Sai Pratheek 21-6, 21-15 to easily clinch the second doubles encounter, as the summit clash heads into a decider!

18:36 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Dhruv/Sai Pratheek put up a stronger fight in the first half of Game 2 in the second doubles tie against Liu/Ou, and are 10-all at one point.

The Chinese pair, however, start increasing their lead  after the halfway mark, and are on the verge of clinching the tie at 18-12.

18:33 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

MEDAL ALERT — Murali Sreeshankar wins silver in Men’s Long Jump with a best effort of 8.19m. China’s Jianan Wang wins gold with 8.22m, while fellow Chinese Yuhao Shi collects bronze with 8.10m.

The second Indian in the fray, Jeswin Aldrin, finishes eighth with a best effort of 7.76m.

18:28 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

More medals for the Indian track and field contingent, with Ajay Kumar Saroj and Jinson Johnson winning silver and bronze respectively in the men’s 1500m event!

Earlier, Harmilan Bains had won silver in the women’s 1500m event!

18:18 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Liu/Ou demolish Dhruv/Sai Pratheek 21-6 in the opening game of the second doubles tie!

China are on the verge of restoring parity in the men’s badminton final against India!

18:13 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Dhruv Kapila and Sai Pratheek Krishna Prasad are up against Yuchen Liuand Xuanyi Ou in the second doubles encounter of the men’s badminton final.

So far, this has been a no contest with Liu and Ou leading 12-2 at the moment.

18:11 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

SILVER FOR HARMILAN BAINS IN WOMEN’S 1500M! India win their third medal of the day in track and field today!

17:57 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Shifeng Li defeats Kidambi Srikanth 24-22, 21-9 to keep China alive in the men’s badminton final against India!

Game 1 was quite the even contest between the two with Shifeng holding his nerve to prevail in the end. Game 2, however, could not have been more different, with Shifeng bossing it from start to finish.

The momentum suddenly appears to have shifted in the defending champions’ favour with this victory.

17:51 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Shifeng’s starting to run away with the game now with a series of smashes, and Srikanth’s appearing to lose steam. Score’s 14-7 in favour of Shifeng.

The vociferous support from the home crowd too is playing its part in pumping Shifeng up.

17:50 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Meanwhile in the men’s long jump final, Murali Sreeshankar finds himself at the 2nd spot with a best attempt of 8.01m — one of only two to have crossed the eight-metre mark so far. The other Indian in the fray, Jeswin Aldrin Johnson, is eighth with 7.76m.

China’s Jianan Wang is currently leading with 8.22m.

17:46 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Shifeng’s in the lead in Game 2 against Srikanth, with the scoreline currently leading 9-5 in the Chinese shuttler’s favour. Can Srikanth mount a fightback and take the contest to a decider from here?

17:40 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Shifeng Li clinches a thrilling Game 1 against Kidambi Srikanth, prevailing 24-22 over the Indian with the two refusing to give up till the very end.

Srikanth though, has another shot at taking the second singles tie to a decider and secure gold for India right away. As for China, every game from hereon is do-or-die!

17:35 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

GOLD FOR TAJINDER PAL SINGH TOOR! The Moga native wins the event with an effort of 20.36m in his sixth and final attempt!

This is India’s third gold medal of the day and their second in track and field! What a day this is turning out to be for the Indians so far today!

17:25 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Shifeng claws back towards the end of Game 1, and is 18-all with Srikanth! Another game that appears set to go down the wire!

17:22 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Kidambi Srikanth’s singles tie against Shifeng Li is underway, and the senior pro is initially neck-and-neck with his opponent. Srikanth, however, begins to widen the lead after the halfway mark, and is currently 14-11.

17:16 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Sable (8:19.50) finished a good four seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Japan’s Ryoma Aoki (8:23.75), with the latter’s compatriot Seiya Sunada winning bronze with a timing of 8:26.47.

17:14 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Tajinder in the lead! The 28-year-old from Moga, Punjab moves to the lead in the men’s shot put final with his fourth attempt that measures 20.06m.

17:01 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

GOLD MEDAL FOR AVINASH SABLE! The armyman wins the men’s 3000m steeplechase event in dominant fashion with a timing of 8:19:53! His rivals weren’t even in the picture when he crossed the finish line!

This is India's second gold medal of the day and their 12th overall in the ongoing Games. Also their first track and field gold at Hangzhou.

16:57 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

India 2-0 China

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinch the doubles tie, and India are on the verge of a historic gold in the badminton men’s final against China! They win the rubber 21-15, 21-18.

Kidambi Srikanth’s next, and he’ll hope to seal it in his nation’s favour by a 3-0 margin!

16:50 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Boxing

Bronze for Nikhat Zareen!

The Hyderabadi’s campaign in Hangzhou comes to an end with a 3-2 defeat against Thailand’s Chuthamat in red.

16:46 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

India are on the verge of a 2-0 lead in the badminton final! Satwik and Chirag are 16-10 up against Liang and Wang, and are in a prime position to wrap this up quickly.

16:42 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Boxing

Nikhat Zareen gears up for her women’s 50kg semi-final bout against Thailand’s Raksat Chuthamat. The Hyderabadi already has confirmed a bronze for herself at the very least. But will aim to stand even higher on the podium.

16:30 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Athletics

Tajinder Pal Singh  and Sahib Singh will be competing in the Men’s Shot Put final. Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin are in the Men’s Long Jump final. Both events will start at 4.30 pm.

At 4.45 pm, Avinash Sable will compete in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event.

16:28 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Sat-Chi in the lead!

Satwik-Chirag boss their way through the opening game of the doubles rubber, having nine game points in hand. They stutter a bit in front of the finish line, conceding four points in a row, before a smash by Satwik seals the opening game 21-15 for the Indian pair.

Following Lakshya Sen’s sensational victory over Shi Yuqi, India are well-placed to go 2-0 up now!

16:14 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton 

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy makes it 4-2 to India with a powerful smash. The Indian duo go onto extend their domination, making it 9-4 against the Chinese pair. This is brilliaqnt stuff from Satwik-Chirag. 

16:10 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton 

Right. Time for the next match of the tie. Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are in action against  Liang Weikeng and Wang Chan. It's neck and neck at 2-2 at the moment. 

15:58 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton 

Wow! What a clinical display from Lakshya Sen. He beats Shi Yuqi 22-20, 14-21 and 21-18 to give India a 1-0 lead in this men's badminton team final against the hosts China. A stupendous display from Lakshya. 

15:55 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton 

Wow! It's been some sort of a comeback from Lakshya Sen. It's 20-17 in favour of the Indian, he has shown so much promise and fight with his gritty effort. 

15:53 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton 

Lakshya Sen is on a roll. A brave comeback from Lakshya in this match to make it 19-16. 

15:48 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton 

His Chinese opponent was lead 14-12 in the third and final game, but Lakshya Sen is right back in this after collecting two consecutive points. 14-14! 

15:41 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Yuqi Shi with a thundering smash into Lakshya Sen's body. The Indian tries to get out of it and back over the net but there's plenty of venom on it. The Chinese shuttler leads 11-7 at the change of ends in the deciding game

15:29 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

After three well played points and perfect placements, Laksya Sen errs and hands a simple shot for Shi to thump and arrest the flow of things. 

Yuqi Shi follows it up with two consecutive points, latest sees Sen's backhand go wide

It is one game all in the first singles of this India vs China badminton men's team gold medal match

15:26 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Lakshya Sen staying in the thick of things with a deft shot that catches Shi off guard. He then follows it up with a smash winner and forces an error from the Chinese shuttler. Three points in a row. Is the tide turning? 18-14 still

15:25 (IST)

Asian Games LIVE: Badminton

Yuqi Shi with a massive and commanding lead over Lakshya Sen in the second game as the shuttle goes long and the Chinese shuttler goes 18-11 to the good and headed towards a deciding third game

15:21 (IST)