Hangzhou, Oct 2 (IANS): Parul Chaudhary and Priti Lamba clocked personal best timing to claim silver and bronze medal, respectively, for India in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the 19th Asian Games, here on Monday.

A day after Avinash Sable romped to victory in the men's event. Parul and Priti ran superb tactical races to finish behind Bahrain's Olympic and World leader Winfred Mutile Yavi, who set an Asian Games Record of 9:18.28.

Parul clocked 9:27.63 while Priti finished third in 9:43.32, also her personal best'.

It is a great performance by Parul , who stayed on the heels of the Bahraini before opened up a big gap with three laps to go. She continued and went to break her personal best, for the third time in a month after doing it twice at the World Championships.

Knowing that the Bahraini runner wastoo strong, they did not expend their energy in trying to be with her but kept themselves in the battle for the second and third positions and made their moves at an appropriate times.

These were India's first medals in athletics on Monday after the country bagged nine medals on Sunday.