Paulose, Hamza win 1500m golds

India's Sinimol Paulose maintained her unbeaten run in the 1500 metres at the Asian level in 2007 by winning the Asian Indoor Games title with a timing of 4:22.56 seconds, in Macau, on Tuesday.

Earlier this year, Sinimol scored a hat-trick at Asian Grand Prix series followed by Asian Championship title at Amman.

Svetlana Lukasheva of Kazakhstan finished second in 4:24.92 seconds while China's Li Zhenhu took the bronze in 4:25.96 seconds.

Sinimol had won a bronze in the inaugural edition of Asian Indoor Games in 2005 at Pattaya.

In the men's 1500m final, India's Chatholi Hamza, a bronze medallist at the Military World Games in Hyderabad two weeks ago, emerged winner in the close finish, upsetting defending champion Kamal Ali of Qatar.

The 26-year-old's fifth gear run in the last 50 metres helped him win his first major title at the Asian level in a new Games' record of 3:50.22 seconds.

The two gold medals swelled India's tally to five gold and two silver at the Games.

India's runners Bibin Mathew and Vinay Chaudhary failed to make it to the final of the men's 400 metres after finishing fourth in their respective semi-finals.

Results:

Women 1500m final: 1. Paulose Sinimole (Ind) 4:22.56 seconds, 2. Lukasheva Svetlana (Kaz) 4:24.92s, 3. Li Zhenzhu (Chn) 4:25.96s, 4 Bui Thi Hien (Vie) 4:30.68, 5. Preeja Sreedharan (Ind) 4:31.33.