KOBE (Japan), July 8: Guzel Khubbieva of Uzbekistan solidified her world championship chances by winning the women’s 100 meters at the Asian athletics championships on Friday.
Khubbieva clocked 11.39 seconds in the final to beat China’s Wei Yongli by .31. Tao Yujia, also of China, was third in 11.74.
“It was important to get a good result here for the world championships,” said Khubbieva. “It was my first title in this meet and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”
The worlds will be in Daegu, South Korea from Aug. 27-Sept. 4, so Friday’s race will improve Khubbieva’s chances to be selected.
Japan’s Chisato Fukushima, who won the 100 at the Asian Games, wasn’t entered in Friday’s race but will take part in the 200 on Sunday.
About 500 athletes from 45 countries are competing at Kobe Universiade Stadium in the championships which end on Sunday.
China’s Su Bingtian won the men’s 100, clocking 10:21 to finish .07 seconds ahead of Japan’s Masashi Eriguchi. Sota Kawatsura, also of Japan, was third in 10.30.
Also, Mohammad Alazemi of Kuwait won the men’s 1,500 with a time of 3:42.49. Iran’s Sajad Moradi was 1.19 off the pace in second while C.I.
Wijekoon of Sri Lanka was third in 3:44.01.
“I’m very pleased because the conditions were tough and there were a lot of strong rivals,” said Alazemi, who raced his first 1,500.
China’s Sun Taifeng claimed the women’s discus title with a throw of 60.89. Daichi Sawano of Japan won the men’s pole vault after clearing 5.50 meters for his third Asian title.
Results (distances in meters):Men 100m: 1, Su Bingtian, China, 10.21. 2, Masashi Eriguchi, Japan, 10.28. 3, Sota Kawatsura, Japan, 10.30. 4, Y.B. Alnashri, Saudi Arabia, 10.31.
5, Chen Qiang, China, 10.33. 6, Baraket, Al-Harthi, Oman, 10.38. 7, Yusuke Kotani, Japan, 10.39. 8, Fadlin Fadlin, Indonesia, 10.49.
1,500: 1, Mohammad Alazemi, Kuwait, 3:42.49. 2, Sajad Moradi, Iran, 3:43.30. 3, C.I. Wijekoon, Sri Lanka, 3:44.01. 4, Yuya Konishi, Japan, 3:46.24. 5, Mansour Ali, Bahrain, 3:47.26. 6, Sin Sang-min, South Korea, 3:48.36. 7, Ridwan Ridwan, Indonesia, 3:48.52. 8, Moslem Niadoost, Iran, 3:50.79. 9, Pranjal Gogoi, India, 3:51.53. 10, Hiroshi Ino, Japan, 3:52.49.
Pole Vault: 1, Daichi Sawano, Japan, 5.50. 2, Hiroki Ogita, Japan, 5.40. 3, Yang Yansheng, China, 5.40. 4, Nikita Filipov, Kazakhstan, 5.40. 5, Takumi Suzuki, 5.20.<
Women 100m: 1, Guzel Khubbieva, Uzbekistan, 11.39. 2, Wei Yongli, China, 11.70. 3, Tao Yujia, China, 11.74, 4, Nao Okabe, Japan, 11.79. 5, Nongnuch Sanrat, Thailand, 11.80. 6, Maryam Toosi, Iran, 11.81. 7, Olga Bludova, Kazakhstan, 11.82.
1,500: 1, Genzeb Shumi Regasa, Bahrain, 4:51.91. 2, Thanh Hang Truong, Vietnam, 4:18.40. 3, J. Orchatteri Puthiya, India, 4:21.41. 4, Akane Yabushita, Japan, 4:22.09. 5, B.D. Blayneh, United Arab Emirates, 4:24.38. 6, Mika Kobayashi, Japan, 4:25.72. 7, Rei Ohara, Japan, 4:28.09.
Discus: 1, Sun Taifeng, China, 60.89. 2, Ma Xuejun, China, 59.67. 3, Harwant Kaur, India, 57.99. 4, Krishna Poonia, India, 56.23. 5, Li Wen-hua, Taiwan, 55.59. 6, Ayumi Takahashi, Japan, 51.23. 7, Dwi Ratnawati, Indonesia, 49.70. 8, Yuka Murofushi, Japan, 49.24. - AP