But now, even the staunchest of PT Usha supporters will agree that it is going to be difficult for her to win. If she does get into the medals, it could well be a bronze, or silver if things go her way.

While Jyotiymoyee Sikdar, the fastest non-Chinese in 800m in Asia this year and ever-improving Neelam Jaswant Singh in discus, have good medal chances, Gulab Chand could turn out to the hero of this Indian athletics team.

The Asian Championships in Fukuoka saw his coming of age. Giving a courageous charge with a big kick in the last 250 metres, he won a silver in the 5,000m and a bronze in the 10,000m.

Meanwhile, Bahadur Prasad, who hasnever done well at an Asian Games, can redeem himself by going for the jugular in the 5,000m and with Gulab also in the fray, the Indian duo can do something memorable in this open field.

Bahadur is also there in the 1,500m, where only Mohammed Suleiman of Qatar should be out of reach for the Indian.

Shot putter Shakti Singh has, as his main rivals, Kazhak Sergey Roubtsov (who has been credited with a best of 20.12m) and Sergey Kot of Uzbekistan, best: 19.10m.

Jyoti will have to contend with Zhang Jian, the only Asian girl to have clocked below two minutes in 800m this year, while Neelam Singh, knocking on the doors of the 6-metre barrier in discus, will face the might of two more Chinese stars.

Another possible medal event is men's discus where Ajit Bhaduria and Anil Kumar should do well.