With China’s season leading performer Yang Yanbo not entered in discus throw, India’s Commonwealth Games silver medalist Seema Punia entered the arena as a leading thrower. Although she had winning at least a medal in each edition of the Commonwealth Games since 2006, Seema entered the Asian Games for the first time in Incheon. If she tackles the Chinese duo of Lu Xiaoxin (63.27m PB in 2013) and Tan Jian (64.45m PB in 2012) and Chinese-Taipei’s Li Tsai-Yi (60.23m PB in 2012) the gold will be hers.
The hammer throw is the forte for Chinese. 2013 Asian champion Wang Zheng recently improved the continental mark to 77.68m. Defending Asian Games champion and former record-holder (76.99m in 2012) Zhang Wenxiu will cross swords with her country-mate for the supreme position.
Current Asian champion Li Lingwei (65.11m PB in 2012) and her compatriot Zhang Li (64.74m PB in 2012) are spearheading to get 1-2 for China in javelin throw. Sri Lankan Nadeeka Lakmali, who posed a threat to the Chinese thrower in Pune and settled with a silver medal in the Asian championships, will once again try for a medal while reigning Asian Games champion Yuki Ebihara of Japan will also have similar ambitions in mind.
