Ecstasy and agony for Lakshmanan
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Jakarta: It was a case of ecstasy and agony for G Lakshmanan at the Asian Games here on Sunday as he was stripped of bronze medal in 10,000m for track violation.
The 28-year-old from Tamil Nadu clocked 29:44.91 and had ended third. But the officials ruled that he had stepped out of the track during one of the laps and disqualified him.
Bahrain's Hassan Chani (28:35.34) won the gold, while compatriot Abraham Cheroben (29.00.29) took the silver. China’s Changhong Zhao (30:07.49) got the lucky break as he won the bronze, thanks to Lakshmanan’s error.
“I was eyeing a bronze medal only in this event as I know I could stretch my rivals in 5,000m. The high-altitude training at Bhutan helped me,” Lakshmanan had told mediapersons before he was disqualified.
Lakshmanan, who bagged a double in 5000m and 10,000m at the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar last year, will have a chance to redeem himself in the 5,000m on Thursday.