New Delhi:
Defending 800m champion Tintu Luka spearheaded India's charge in the track events on Day three of the Asian Athletic Championships as almost all the Indians who competed in the third-morning session qualified for the final rounds scheduled later in the evening.
Luka overcame a mild stutter on the back straight in the second lap to win the second heat in 2:6.66 seconds and emerge the fastest qualifier. Her team-mates Lili Das (2:07.24) andArchana Adhav (2:09.42) also made it to the half-mile final without much trouble.
In men's 800m, Jinson Johnson won the opening heat in 1:50.48 to be among the favourites in the medal race while Vishwambar Kolekar won the third heat to also make it to the final.
India's US-based Siddhanth Thingalaya qualified as one of the two fastest losers in men's 110m hurdles, clocking 13.72 seconds to finish third in the second heat. Ankit Sharma (7.42m), S Samsheer (7.42m) and Siddharth Mohan Naik (7.39m) made it to the final of men's long jump.
