Asian U20 Athletics: Siddharth Choudhary bags shot put gold as India claim 6 medals on day 2

Led by Siddharth Choudhary's special effort in men's shotput, India bagged a total of six medals on the second day of the ongoing 2023 U20 Asian Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea.

Choudhary was at his dominant best on Monday as he registered a massive personal best 19.52m to clinch India's only gold medal of the day.

The 17-year-old broke the 19m mark thrice in his first three attempts even as the rest of the field failed to come close to the mark even once. Qatar's Djibrine Ahmat was a distant second in the competition with a best of 18.85m.

India's Jaidev Dikka failed to register even a single legal throw in the competition.

India bag three silver medals

India also bagged three silver medals on Monday. Shivam Lokhare, Sharuk Khan, and Susmita all finished second in their respective events.

While Lokhare won the silver medal in men's javelin with an attempt of 72.34m, Susmita matched the medal colour in women's long jump with a personal best 5.96m leap.

Sharuk Khan, on the other hand, clocked 8:51.742s to take home the men's 3000m steeplechase silver medal.

Bronze for Shakeel, Relay team

Middle distance runner Shakeel bagged the bronze medal in men's 800m for India. He clocked a season best 1:49.792s for the medal, before the mixed 4x400m relay team followed the suit.

The relay quartet comprising of Deepak Singh, Anushka Kumbhar, Navpreet Singh, and Rezoana Mallick Henna clocked 3:30.129s in the competition.

India were leading the race heading into the final leg, but a poor baton exchange between Navpreet and women's 400m champion Rezoana saw the latter trip and fall as their biggest competitors South Korea and Sri Lanka took advantage.

Rezoana, to her credit, got herself back on feet quickly and finished the race in the third place.