India win four gold in Asian GP athletics

National record holder Renjith Maheswary won the men's triple jump as India bagged 12 medals, including four gold, in the third and final leg of the Asian Grand Prix Athletics in Chonburi, Thailand, on Monday.

Maheswary's effort of 16.46 metres was, however, below his second leg gold medal-winning effort of 16.61 metres, at Kanchanapuri.

He won a bronze in the first leg in Bangkok.

Arpinder Singh won the bronze in the event with an effort of 15.85m. He also won a bronze in the first leg.

India won four gold, five silver and three bronze medals.

The three other gold medals came from Rohit Kumar, in the men's javelin throw, and the men's and women's 4x400m relays.

Rohit hurled the spear to a distance of 69.12m while the women's 4x400m relay team of Debashree Mazumdar, Kartnatapu Sowjanya, Ratandeep Kaur and M R Poovamma won their third gold medal in the series, clocking 3:38.22s.

The Indian women's 4x400m relay team had also won gold in the first two legs in Bangkok and Kanchanapuri.

The Indian men -- Jitin Paul, Bibin Mathew, Shake Mortaja and P P Kunhu Muhammed -- won gold in 3:10.57s. They won gold in the first leg also.

P P Kunhu Muhammed, who won gold in the men's 400m in the second leg, had to settle for silver on Monday with a timing of 46.44s.

Sajeesh Joseph also settled for silver in the men's 800m in 1:49.96s. He won the gold in the first leg and a silver in the second. Ghamnada Ram bagged the bronze in 1:50.06s.

The three other Indian silver medal winners were M R Poovamma (400m, in 53.50), Sinimol Paulose (800m, in 2:03.34s) and Mayookha Johny (long jump, 6.50m).

The women's 4x100 relay team of Kartnatapu Sowjanya, Debashree Mazumdar, Ratandeep Kaur and Saraswati Sundram won a bronze in 49.06s.