Indian athletes shined at the Asian Games in Guangzhou on Thursday. Ashwini Chidananda bagged the gold medal in women’s 400 meter hurdles while Joseph Abraham won the men’s category of the same event.

Tintu Luka also did well for India by bagging the bronze medal in women’s category of 800 meters.

Ashwini won the event as she finished the race with a timing of 56.15 seconds which was her personal best timing. Juana Murmu also from India gave a good fight till the end but missed bronze medal by a whisker. Wang Xing from China won the silver while Satomi Kubokokura from Japan won the bronze.

Ashwini, who belongs to Karnataka, started taking part in 400 meters in 2010 only. Prior to this, M.D.Valsamma in 1982 and P. T. Usha in 1986 had won the gold for India in 400 meters hurdles at Asian Games.

Abraham bagged the gold medal in men’s category by finishing the race with a timing of 49.96 seconds. Bandar Yahya Sharahili from Saudi Arabia won silver while Naohiro Kawakita from Japan took the bronze.

This was India’s first gold medal in men’s 400 meter hurdles at the Asian Games. Earlier, Teja Singh got silver in 1951 and Lehan Singh won bronze medal in 1974.