Bahrain pocketed two athletics gold at the Guangzhou Asiad on Tuesday by long-distance runners Maryam Jamal, a former Ethiopian and Tareq Mubarak Salem Taher, a former Kenyan.

Jamal, winner of the women's 1500 meters at 2009 Berlin Worlds, bagged the crown with nearly half a second lead.

The 26-year-old clocked four minutes and 8.22 seconds to Vietnamese runner Truong Thanh Hang's 4:09.58, beating another Bahrain racer Mimi Belete Gebregeiorges to the third place with a time of 4:10.42.

Jamal's winning time is a far down result from the reigning world and Asian record of 3:50.46, set by China's Qu Yunxia 17 years ago.

She was not pleased when was asked about her Ethiopian heritage. "Nationality is not important," said the winner. "What counts more is the result instead of where I come from."

"I am quite happy to win the gold for Bahrain and I am satisfied with my time," she added.

Taher, winner of the men's 3000m steeplechase, changed his nationality to Bahrain in 2005.

The former Kenyan clocked in 8:25.89 to take the gold medal.

Thamer Kamal Ali of Qatar finished second in 8:26.27 and Saudi Arabian Ali Ahmad Alamri got the bronze medal in 8:30.96.

"It was a very tough competition," said Taher, the defending champion of the event. "I was a little nervous at the very beginning but I sped up in the last two laps and finally won. I was so happy."

Hosts China also grabbed two gold medals in the women's 20km race walking and discus throw.

Local walking star Liu Hong lifted her second Asiad title from women's 20km race walking on Tuesday.

Japan's Masumi Fuchise and Liu's teammate Li Yanfei got the silver and bronze respectively.

Liu, who clocked a seasonal best 1:30:06 in the race, continued China's monopoly as the team pocketed all women's 20km race walking golds since the event entered the Asian Games in 1986.

In the women's discus throw, Li Yanfeng showed her dominance to win the title in a season best 66.18 meters.

Defending champion Song Aimin of China took the silver in 64.04, while the bronze went to Indonesia's Krishna Poonia, who finished in 61.94.

Yuliya Tarasova of Uzbekistan became the first athletics multiple medallist at the Asiad when she won the women's heptathlon gold medal and a bronze in the long jump on Tuesday.

Japan's Tuki Nakata took the silver in the heptathlon, while India's Pramila Ganapathy Gudandda finished third.

South Korean Jung Soonok won a historic gold for her country in the women's long jump as it was South Korea's first gold in the event at Asiad.

Mohammed Othman H Shaween of Saudi Arabia launched a late sprint to take the men's 1500m gold medal.

With the absence of world champion Yusuf Saad Kamel, who crashed out in the heats on Monday due to injuries, the 24-year-old Shaween claimed the victory with a time of 3:36.49, beating Iran's Sajad Moradi to the second place at 0.60 seconds.

Bahrain's Belal Mansoor Ali settled for a bronze medal after clocking in 3:38.39.

Qatar also claimed a gold Tuesday by Mutaz Essa Barshim in men's high jump with a 2.27m performance.

The most eye-catching event on Wednesday will be the men's 110m hurdles final, as former Olympic and world champion Liu Xiang will try his best to finish a Asian Games hat-trick.

Wednesday will also see the women's pole vault, as well as the men's discus throw and long jump.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2010)