Long distance runner Govindan Lakshmanan came close to ending India’s 20-years wait for a medal in the men’s 10000m race when he finished third but was later disqualified in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on Sunday.
Lakshmanan, who is the reigning Asian Athletics champion in the 5000 and 10000 metres, finished behind Bahrain’s Hassan Chani and Abraham Cheroben with a timing of 29:44.91. But the officials ruled that the 28-year-old had stepped inside the curb marking after clipping the boot of eventual champion Chani and hence was disqualified.
(For all the updates on this development and more on our live blog here.)
Having been lapped by Chani, Lakshmanan stuck close to the eventual gold medal winner and a yellow flag was raised when the Tamil Nadu athlete clipped Chani’s leg. After the race, it was believed that Lakshmanan had ended India’s wait for a medal in the men’s 10000 metres, their first since Gulab Chand’s bronze in Bangkok two decades ago.
He will get another chance of getting on the podium when he participates in the 5000 metres final on August 30. Lakshmanan’s half-sibling Suriya Loganathan had earlier finished sixth in the women’s 10000 metres.
The Indian team had decided to lodge a complaint in this matter, but the Athletics Federation of India later tweeted, confirming that Lakshmanan in fact, had lost his appeal to retain the 10,000 metre bronze medal.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!