Mohammad Afsal Pulikkalakath: Mohammad Afsal Pulikkalakath of India won a silver medal for India in the men's 800m at the Asian Games here on Tuesday, clocking 1:4843 to finish second behind Saudi Arabia's Essa Ali S. Kzwani.
Afsal had twice finished seventh in the Asian Championships -- in 2019 and 2023. But on Tuesday, he could not be denied as the experienced runner from Kerala finally got his maiden medal at the Asian Games.
Afsal, who is a two-time national champion at this distance, had won his heat yesterday to qualify for the final.
Krishna Kumar, the other Indian in the fray in men's 800m, was disqualified for jostling and obstruction along with China's Liu Dezhu.
At the 400m mark, China's Liu Dezhu was in the lead before the others surged past him.