Kiran Baliyan clinches bronze medal in women's shot put at Asian Games 2023

This is India's first women's shot put medal since 1951.

Indian athlete Kiran Baliyan has made our nation proud by clinching the bronze medal in the women's shot put final at the Asian Games 2023. This is also India's inaugural athletics medal at the 2023 Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium. The 24-year-old Indian athlete kick-started her medal journey with a throw that ranks as her second-best performance at a continental meet. This achievement also marks India's first women's shot put medal at the Asian Games since Barbara Webster's bronze in the inaugural 1951 New Delhi Asian Games.

Baliyan's remarkable performance saw her finish with a throw of 17.36m which secured her place on the podium. The women's shot put final witnessed fierce competition, with India's Manpreet Kaur also vying for a medal. However, Kaur fell short by managing a throw of 16.25m and missing out on the podium. The top honours in this event went to China, as Gong Lijiao secured the gold medal while Song Jiayuan claimed the silver.

She encountered a few challenges including a fault in her second attempt, but rallied back with a throw of 16.84m in her second try and solidified her position in the top three. Her consistent performance ultimately secured her a well-deserved place on the podium.

Meanwhile, Manpreet Kaur, a former gold medalist at the Asian Championships, secured the fifth position as faced difficulties with her second consecutive throw ending in a fault. Despite her valiant efforts, Kaur couldn't secure a medal.

Before the final event, both Kiran Baliyan and Manpreet Kaur were considered strong contenders and they lived up to expectations and showcased their talent on the international stage. In contrast, in the women's hammer throw final, Indian athletes Tanya Chaudhary and Rachna Kumari secured the seventh and ninth positions respectively. Tanya's best throw covered a distance of 60.50 meters while Rachna achieved a throw spanning 58.13m.