How Ilango silenced talks of marriage after Asian Games

Asha Ilango Turns Asian Games Heartbreak Into National Open Gold

Indiadailyupdate.com – Asha Ilango responded to the frustration of narrowly missing an Asian Games medal by setting a meet record to win the women’s triple jump at the National Open Athletics Championships. Her winning mark of 13.89m surpassed the previous championship record of 13.78m, set by Mayookha Johny in 2015.

For the 27-year-old from Madurai, the result offered more than another medal. It was a statement after a painful finish in Aichi-Nagoya, where she and China’s Li Yi both recorded 13.83m. Li received bronze after the countback rule was applied: her second-best effort, 13.79m, was better than Ilango’s 13.65m.

The difference was small, but the emotional impact was considerable. Ilango had worked through injuries and years of uncertainty before beginning to see more consistent results from last season.

“It was so close, just centimetres. That’s how tough sport is. I have been putting so much effort into the triple jump for 10 years, and only now have I started getting results, since last year. There have been several injuries. I had an ankle injury last year and was sidelined for four months.”

Her return from that ankle problem led to Asian Games qualification, making the missed podium even harder to absorb.

“I came back and qualified for the Asian Games, and to come so close to a medal and not have it was very tough. I could not sleep for days,”

Instead of stepping away after the disappointment, Ilango entered the National Open meet and found immediate reassurance in her record-breaking performance. The national record remains Johny’s 14.11m, but Ilango’s latest leap underlined that she is moving closer to that level.

“It feels so good to break the meet record here. It shows that I can do much better.”

A Personal Victory Beyond the Runway

Ilango’s performances have also changed the conversation at home. She said relatives had frequently raised the subject of marriage, particularly during periods when she was injured or struggling for results. Frustrated by the recurring pressure, she asked her family for time to pursue an Asian Games medal.

“My parents, everyone in the family and the elders, would always talk about marriage. Whenever I was injured or not performing well, the topic would be that I should get married. I was fed up. I asked them to give me six months and said I would return with a medal from the Asian Games. Though I lost the medal and it was tough, they are not bothering me now. They are encouraging me to continue,”

That support matters for an athlete competing in an event where progress is often measured in centimetres and where injury setbacks can disrupt years of work. Ilango’s National Open victory did not erase the Asian Games near-miss, but it gave her a tangible reason to look ahead rather than back.

Shaili Singh Finds Another Event

The women’s triple jump also produced an encouraging debut for long jumper Shaili Singh. Singh took bronze with 13.31m, while Bhairabi Roy earned silver after reaching 13.36m.

Singh is primarily known as a long jumper and finished fourth in that event at the Asian Games. She had been in contention for a medal there, although she was unhappy with the measurement of her fourth attempt, recorded at 6.42m. Her first competitive triple-jump appearance nevertheless suggested another possible option in her programme.

“It was surprising that I won a medal on debut. I wanted to try out the triple jump and it was very exciting. I enjoyed myself. Going forward, long jump will continue to be my priority, but I will also keep doing triple jump,”

Her coach said the move had been tested in training before being brought into competition.

“She has been doing triple jump in training, so we thought, let’s try it out in competition. She is light and her physique will suit triple jump. We want to try it at the National Games as well next year and see how she progresses. Having two events will keep her interested as well,”

Strong Throws and Vaulting Performances

Elsewhere at the championships, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Seema Kaliramna won the women’s discus with 57.63m. Nikita Kumar finished second with 52.48m. Kaliramna had produced a personal best of 59.88m at the Asian Games but finished fourth there, another example of how demanding international finals can be even when athletes deliver their best marks.

In the men’s hammer throw, Delhi’s Nirbhay Chaudhary claimed gold with 69.42m. He had set the national record at 71.02m at a meet at the same venue the previous month. Praveen Kumar took silver with 67.37m and Ashish Jakhar secured bronze with 66.86m.

Pole vaulter Kuldeep Kumar, fresh from the Asian Games, won with a best clearance of 5.30m. Regan G placed second at 5.25m, followed by Rambeer at 5.10m. Kuldeep’s personal best stands at 5.45m.

Dev Meena, another Madhya Pradesh vaulter, did not compete after a long campaign in which he repeatedly improved the national record. At the Asian Games, he cleared 5.50m and finished seventh.

“We are going into the off-season now, where we will work on their speed and explosive strength and come back with better performances next season,”

Coach Ghanshyam Yadav said the longer-term objective for Dev and Kuldeep is Olympic qualification.

“The target is to qualify for the LA Olympics, and for that we have to keep pushing the bar,”

For Ilango, the next phase begins with renewed confidence. The Asian Games result remains a difficult memory, but her meet-record leap has shown that a setback decided by countback can still become fuel for the next breakthrough.