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BIRMINGHAM, England, Mar. 2-- World champion Gong Lijiao captured China's first medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships here on Friday as she won the bronze in the women's shot put final. The 29-year-old Gong, who also won two silvers and four bronzes at past Olympics and World Championships, took the lead with a throw of 18.98 meters in her second attempt. But Hungary' Anita Marton, who finished second behind Gong in last year's London worlds, produced a world-leading 19.48m in round three to pull ahead. Jamaica's Danniel Thomas-Dodd responded with 19.22m to overtake Gong and stay at second. Little happened in rounds four or five, but the competition ended with a trio of 19-meter throws. Gong, who had resumed training just six weeks ago after suffering a knee injury this winter, rounded out her series with a season's best of 19.08m and Thomas-Dodd ended with 19.07m. But Marton, saved her best throw for the final round and sent her sphere out to a world-leading national record of 19.62m and became her country's first-ever world indoor champion. "I am not satisfied with my result," said Gong, who has a personal best of 19.93 meters. "But I have nothing to blame. This is my first competition this year. If I were given one more month's time of training, I would have won the gold medal easily." Gong's teammate Gao Yang finished fourth with a personal best of 18.77. In the long jump final, Cuba's Juan Miguel Echevarria became the youngest man ever to win a world indoor title in a field event, with a world-leading leap of 8.46m. | 
