China denied India a historic gold in Asian Games athletics with a dramatic late surge in Aichi-Nagoya on Sunday.
India's Malayali long jumper Ancy Sojan had been in the gold-medal position till the last series of jumps with a best of 6.53 m.
China's Huang Yingying, who had been second with 6.49 m, produced an improved 6.55 in her final attempt to push ahead of Ancy.
The Kerala athlete could not better her effort in her final chance, and was left disappointed. She had won silver in the previous Asian Games in 2023 and was aiming to become only the second Indian woman long jumper to take an Asiad gold after Anju Bobby George 24 years ago.
Coincidentally, Anju had taken gold in the 2002 Asian Games with an identical jump of 6.53 m.
India had another misfortune in the event as Shaili Singh fell out of a place on the podium, again in the final round.
The trainee of Anju had been third with an effort of 6.42 m before Tan Mengyi of China took the bronze with a 6.46 m jump in her last attempt. Shaili had been unlucky as she had taken off from way behind the mark -- on one occasion almost 20 cm -- in two of her efforts that were in excess of 6.40 m.
Earlier this year, Thrissur native Ancy broke Anju's 22-year-old national record of 6.83 m with a new mark of 6.88 m.
India has yet to win a gold in athletics this edition. Gulveer Singh took silver in men's 10,000 m, while shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor and marathoner Sawan Barwal were also placed second. India's mixed 4 X 400 m relay team also had to settle for silver.
Earlier on the day, sprinter Harita Bhadra took bronze in women's 200 m with 23.20 seconds, finishing behind Singapore's Shanti Pereira (22.78) and Chen Yujie of China (22.93).
In women's 400 m, Prachi Choudhary took bronze with a timing of 53.21 seconds. Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain took gold with a Games Record of 49.20 seconds while Iran's Zahra Zarei Manoujan was second on 52.38 seconds.