Supriati wins historic Asian Games gold medal
By Primastuti Handayani
BANGKOK (JP): Indonesia's Supriati Sutono carved out a piece of history as she stormed to victory in the women's 5,000 meters at the Asian Games on Friday, ending Indonesia's 36-year gold- medal drought in the quadrennial event's track and field competition.
Supriati showed remarkable fortitude to come from behind in the final 100 meters to overtake Indian pacesetter Sunita Rani, but almost blew her brilliant effort when she slowed down as she reached the finish line.
The 26-year-old army sergeant fell as she crossed the finish, apparently unaware that she had notched a historic win. A photo finish revealed that Supriati won the neck-and-neck race in 15 minutes 54.45 seconds, just two hundredths of a second ahead of Rani.
The bronze went to Japanese Michiko Shimizu who finished a distant third in 15:55.36. Prerace favorite Wang Chunmei of China, who was expected to emulate her compatriot and Asian record holder Wang Junxia, managed only fourth after a slip five laps from the finish.
"I was really exhausted. I thought I was about to collapse as the finish neared," Supriati said of the dramatic finale. "I intentionally forced myself to sprint to win at least by a chest."
Indonesia took its first gold medal ever in Asiad track and field in 1962 in Jakarta through Mohammad Sarengat, who snatched a double in the men's 100m and 110m hurdles. The country's last track and field medal came in the 1978 Asiad when Carolina Reuwpassa finished third in the women's 200m.
Sarengat, who is secretary to chef de mission of the Indonesian team, was among those who witnessed the historic win. Most of the Indonesian sports officials, including National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, however, had opted to go to Pattaya to watch the beach volleyball competition.
Nobody, including Supriati herself, expected the diminutive Cilacap, Central Java runner who was making her Asiad debut to pull off a major shock on the track. The winner of three gold medals in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games managed to finish only fifth in the 10,000m last week.
"I just hoped to play second fiddle when I launched my last attack in the final 100 meters. I didn't really care about the outcome," Supriati said.
A jubilant Sarengat said: "I'm very happy and proud because I'm not the only Indonesian to have won an Asiad gold medal. Supriati's win proves that our country has talent to challenge the rest of Asia."
Supriati could not stop herself crying when the Indonesian national anthem was played during the medal presentation ceremony.
Joining her in tears were Sarengat, Supriati's coach Nicky Patiasina and Indonesian chef de mission Hindarto.
"Before the race, I just asked her to improve her best time. I never imagined she could win a medal, let alone a gold," Nicky said.
Supriati never looked like being a medal contender when the 16-strong field set out as she found herself in the rear group behind Chinese and Japanese runners. She later said that it was a part of her strategy to test her strength against the favorites.
The Indonesian moved up to the leading pack with Wang, Japan's Shimizu and Megumi Tanaka and Hong Myong of North Korea five laps before the finish.
Rani broke away from the group with 200 meters left. The Indian maintained her lead until only a few meters away from the gold, when Supriati sneaked past her.
Also in the day, Japan's Koji Ito completed a golden treble in style by winning the men's 200m to add to his 100m and 4 x 100m relay victories. No one in the Asian Games 47-year history has achieved that feat.
Ito finished in a meet record of 20.25 seconds to give his country its 11th track and field gold medal.
But China's Li Xuemei, dubbed the candidate for Asian queen of the track tag, failed in her bid for an identical hat trick in the women's events when she lost out to Sri Lanka's Damayanthi Darsha over 200m by just five hundredths of a second.
China won the gold medal race over Japan 12-11 with victories in the men's 50 kilometer walk and the women's triple jump.