Athletics - Seema Punia, Jinson Johnson, Nandini Agasara win bronze medals | Asian Games 2023

India had medals raining in athletics as it turned out to be a double bonanza in the men's 1500m event. While Ajay Kumar Saroj won the silver, Jinsn Johnson won bronze. It was for the first time since 1962 that India won 2 medals in the category.

Veteran discus thrower Seema Punia won a bronze for her third medal in as many editions of the Asian Games with a throw of 58.62m. "This is my last Asian Games and I am ending with a medal. I think I will be looking ahead to be able to qualify for the Paris Olympics maybe through ranking," she said.

The 40-year-old Punia won a gold in the 2014 Asian Games and then added a bronze in 2018. She has also won three silver and one bronze in the Commonwealth Games in her over 20-year international career.

In the women's heptathlon, Nandini Agasara took the bronze ahead of 2018 gold medallist Swapna Barman after winning the 800m race, the last of the gruelling seven-event competition.

Nandini collected an aggregate of 5712 points while Barman, who finished third in 800m, secured 5708. China's Zheng Ninali won the gold with an aggregate of 6149 points while Voronina Ekaterina of Uzbekistan was second with 6056.