China’s Su Bingtian wins 100 meters in Asian Games record

Su Bingtian

Su Bingtian gave world junior champion Lalu Muhammad Zohri a taste of what it’s like to race against the fastest men on the continent.

The Asian record holder from China was the hot favorite for the Asian Games gold medal in the 100 meters, but the crowd in Jakarta was there to support their 18-year-old local hope from the earthquake-ravaged island of Lombok.

Su took command early and controlled the race with 40 meters to go, finishing in a games record 9.92 seconds — one-hundredth outside his continental mark.

“I don’t mind about the time, it was about getting the win,” Su said. “I knew if I got a good start, no one [here] can beat me.”

He didn’t get a great start, but had the experience to keep his cool.

“I felt a lot of more pressure here,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll feel that much at the world championships.”

Tosin Ogunode, younger brother of 2014 champion Femi Ogunode, got silver for Qatar in a photo finish from Japan’s Olympic relay silver medalist Ryota Yamagata after they both finished in 10.00.

Su and Zohri progressed steadily into Sunday night’s final, posting matching times in their opening heats, and progressing comfortably into the final through the semis.

That’s where the similarities ended. Zohri, who won the 100 at the world juniors in Finland in July to become an instant star in Indonesia ahead of the games, was slow out of the blocks and never made it up before placing seventh.

Still, his 10.20 was a personal best and an important learning experience.

In a surprising women’s 100 final, Nigeria-born Bahrain sprinter Edidiong Odiong dipped late to finish in 11.30 and edge India’s Dutee Chand (11.32) and 2014 champion Wei Yongli of China (11.33) in a photo finish.

World championship silver medalist Salwa Naser won the women’s 400 in 50.09, improving the meet record she set in the heats. Her win was at the expense of another junior world champion. India’s Hima Das, who won the world junior title in Finland in July, collected silver in 50.79.

China picked up other titles with Olympic silver medalist and world champion Gong Lijiao defending her Asian Games shot put title with a best mark of 19.66 meters and Wang Jianan, a bronze medalist at the 2015 world championships, setting a games record 8.24 meters in the long jump.

Sudan-born world championship bronze medalist Abdalelah Hassan won the men’s 400 for Qatar in 44.89 seconds from Muhammed Anas Yahiya of India.

World champion Rose Chelimo won the women’s marathon for Bahrain in 2 hours, 34 minutes and 51 seconds, and Hassan Chani led Abraham Cheroben in a 1-2 finish for Bahrain in the men’s 10,000, finishing in 28 minutes, 35.54 seconds. Lakshmanan Govindan finished third but was later disqualified for stepping onto the infield during the race and the bronze went to Zhao Changhong of China.

The chants of “Indo-ne-sia, Indo-ne-sia” grew louder when local hope Emilia Nova finished second to South Korea’s Jung Hye-lim in the women’s 100-meter hurdles.

The cheering intensified for the local hope after Japan’s Keisuke Ushiro completed his win in the decathlon and the women’s 100 finished.

Zohri got left behind at the start of the final and didn’t have the strength of the older athletes to make it up, but notched it up to experience as he looks forward to the world championships next season and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I was not disappointed,” he said. “I was happy to be running here in front of the home fans and I learned from Su Bingtian — He has very good technique.” John Pye, Jakarta