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Gumi (South Korea), May 30: India's dominance at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 scaled new heights on Friday (May 30) as Pooja, Gulveer Singh, and Nandini Agasara clinched gold medals.

With three yellow metals today, India's overall tally swelled to 18 medals - 8 gold, 7 silver, and 3 bronze - on the penultimate day of the event. However, there was heartbreak in the men's 4x100m relay as the team was disqualified due to an exchange outside the baton zone.

Gulveer Singh Makes History with Double Gold

Star distance runner Gulveer Singh, who had earlier won the 10,000m gold, delivered another masterclass in endurance and tactical brilliance to clinch the 5,000m gold with a time of 13:24.77 - shattering the previous championship record (13:34.47 set in 2015). Battling with Thailand's Kieran Tuntivate and Japan's Nagiya Mori in the final two laps, Gulveer surged ahead with a perfectly timed sprint at the bell and held on for a dramatic finish.

"My goal in Gumi was to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m. I'm happy to have achieved that," said the 26-year-old Army man, now India's first double gold medallist at the 26th Asian Championships.

Teenage Pooja Jumps to Glory in High Jump

In field events, 18-year-old Pooja emerged as a standout performer, winning gold in the women's high jump with a personal best of 1.89m. The teenage sensation, competing at the senior level, overcame seasoned rivals and narrowly missed out on clearing 1.92m.

Her effort not only secured her the top podium finish but also established her as one of India's emerging athletic stars. "It was a good day for me. I'm happy to win gold at the senior continental level," Pooja said after her win.

Nandini Agasara Wins Gold in Heptathlon

India's third gold of the day came in the heptathlon, where Nandini Agasara put up a consistent and resilient performance across seven events to finish with 5,941 points. She edged out China's Liu Jingyi Chin (5,869 points) to claim her maiden continental crown.

Parul Chaudhary Sets National Record in Steeplechase

Though Parul Chaudhary missed the gold in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, she created a moment of pride by smashing the national record, clocking 9:12.96, and securing silver behind Kazakhstan's Norah Jeruto Tanui (9:10.46). "I stayed with the leader as per plan and pushed hard. I'm happy to set a new national record," said Parul.

Final Day Outlook: India Eyes More Medals

With several Indian athletes qualifying for medal rounds in their respective events on Saturday, including Jyothi Yarraji, Vithya Ramraj, Animesh Kujur, and Sachin Yadav, the final day promises to be another medal-rich outing for the country.

Asian Athletics Day 4 Medal Summary for India:

• Gold - Gulveer Singh - Men's 5000m (13:24.77)
• Gold - Pooja - Women's High Jump (1.89m)
• Gold - Nandini Agasara - Heptathlon (5941 points)
• Silver - Parul Chaudhary - Women's 3000m Steeplechase (9:12.96 - National Record)