Arpinder Singh, who has been without a medal in multi-sporting events since winning a bronze in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, produced a best jump of 16.77m.
Arpinder Singh became the first Indian in 48 years to win gold in men’s triple jump at the Asian Games. The 25-year-old lodged a best jump of 16.77m in the third attempt and his place at the top of the pile remained intact.
His compatriot Rakesh Babu finished sixth with a best effort of 16.40. Ruslan Kurbanov of Uzbekistan took silver with a best jump of 16.62m while Shuo Cao of China was third with an effort of 16.56m.
India’s last Asian Games gold medal in men’s triple jump had come in 1970 from Mohinder Singh Gill. Arpinder last won a medal in a multi-sporting event in 2014 when he won a bronze at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Today’s mark, however was below his season best of 17.09m which he produced during the National Inter-State Championships in June. That jump had put him at number three in the Asian rankings. Arpinder had finished fifth in the 2014 Asian Games.
Arpinder was one of two gold medallists for India on Day 11 with heptathlete Swapna Barman winning the top prize soon after his victory. Swapna collected 6026 points over two days of the event and thus managed to finish at the top by a fair distance. She is the first Indian heptathlete to win gold at the Asian Games.
Moreover, Arpinder has won many national titles and his personal best in 17.17m which he achieved in 2014 at the Lucknow inter-state meet. He also represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he missed the bronze medal and finished fourth.
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