Kitajima flops, China keeps winning
Source: Agencies |
November 16, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
OLYMPIC swimming champion Kosuke Kitajima flopped to finish outside the medals yesterday as the Chinese Asian Games gold-rush gathered steam.
The Japanese icon, who clinched double breaststroke gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was widely expected to win over 100 meters in Guangzhou but faded badly to finish fourth behind teammate Ryo Tateishi.
It was a stunning upset for Kitajima, who was attempting to win the 100-200 double for the third straight Asiad.
Tateishi clocked 1:00.38 with Kazakhstan's Vladislav Polyakov taking silver and Wang Shuai of China the bronze.
It followed Kitajima tying for fourth a day earlier in the 50 event, with the 28-year-old now looking to be past his best. "I knew after my turn that I wouldn't win the race. Although I swam faster than this morning, I did not swim fast enough to get a medal," he said.
China has dominated the pool so far and it won another five of the seven golds available yesterday with Japan's Ryosuke Irie's victory in the men's 200 backstroke the only other non-Chinese triumph.
The host continued to lead the gold medal count with 54, South Korea has 18 golds and Japan is third with 13.
Elsewhere, South Korea's shooters secured their best-ever gold medal haul even as China powered on towards a top finish in the competition.
The Koreans ended the third day with eight golds, already their highest tally in one edition of the Games after winning seven at home in Seoul in 1986 and again in Hiroshima in 1994.
China nudged ahead with the other 10 golds decided so far, looking set to match - or surpass - the 27 titles it won in the 44-event competition at Doha four years ago.
On the badminton courts, the Chinese woman shuttlers overwhelmed Thailand 3-0 to win the team title, with world No. 1 Wang Xin leading the way by beating Intanon Ratchanok, but she was pushed to three sets
"I was just happy I was able to hang on in the end," said Wang.
Superstar Lin Dan spearheaded China to a 3-1 victory over South Korea later in the men's team final.
China also won gold both in the men's and women's individual all-round gymnastics.
Sui Lu soared past teammate Huang Qiushuang with dazzling performances on the beam and floor to win the women's title.
Huang held on for silver despite a fall on the uneven bars, and Rie Tanaka of Japan won the bronze, buoyed by a strong performance on the vault.
Less jittery
"These last two competitions have helped me learn to control myself better, especially on the balance beam, and to become less ruffled," Sui said. "I think that will help me in future competitions to stay calm and less jittery."
In the men's, Teng Haibin convincingly beat teammate Lu Bo and Japan's Hisashi Mizutori.
A day after Li Ping set two new world records at the Dongguan weightlifting arena, North Korea's Kim Kum Sok broke the Chinese stranglehold by claiming the men's 69-kilogram title.
He finished ahead of Mortaza Rezaeian on lower body weight after they both finished tied on an aggregate of 324kg.
China's 2009 world champion Li Xueying won the women's 58kg class.
World No. 11 Li Na, meanwhile, swept aside fellow WTA Tour professional Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2, 6-1 as China defeated Thailand 2-0 to reach the women's tennis team final.
The Japanese icon, who clinched double breaststroke gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was widely expected to win over 100 meters in Guangzhou but faded badly to finish fourth behind teammate Ryo Tateishi.
It was a stunning upset for Kitajima, who was attempting to win the 100-200 double for the third straight Asiad.
Tateishi clocked 1:00.38 with Kazakhstan's Vladislav Polyakov taking silver and Wang Shuai of China the bronze.
It followed Kitajima tying for fourth a day earlier in the 50 event, with the 28-year-old now looking to be past his best. "I knew after my turn that I wouldn't win the race. Although I swam faster than this morning, I did not swim fast enough to get a medal," he said.
China has dominated the pool so far and it won another five of the seven golds available yesterday with Japan's Ryosuke Irie's victory in the men's 200 backstroke the only other non-Chinese triumph.
The host continued to lead the gold medal count with 54, South Korea has 18 golds and Japan is third with 13.
Elsewhere, South Korea's shooters secured their best-ever gold medal haul even as China powered on towards a top finish in the competition.
The Koreans ended the third day with eight golds, already their highest tally in one edition of the Games after winning seven at home in Seoul in 1986 and again in Hiroshima in 1994.
China nudged ahead with the other 10 golds decided so far, looking set to match - or surpass - the 27 titles it won in the 44-event competition at Doha four years ago.
On the badminton courts, the Chinese woman shuttlers overwhelmed Thailand 3-0 to win the team title, with world No. 1 Wang Xin leading the way by beating Intanon Ratchanok, but she was pushed to three sets
"I was just happy I was able to hang on in the end," said Wang.
Superstar Lin Dan spearheaded China to a 3-1 victory over South Korea later in the men's team final.
China also won gold both in the men's and women's individual all-round gymnastics.
Sui Lu soared past teammate Huang Qiushuang with dazzling performances on the beam and floor to win the women's title.
Huang held on for silver despite a fall on the uneven bars, and Rie Tanaka of Japan won the bronze, buoyed by a strong performance on the vault.
Less jittery
"These last two competitions have helped me learn to control myself better, especially on the balance beam, and to become less ruffled," Sui said. "I think that will help me in future competitions to stay calm and less jittery."
In the men's, Teng Haibin convincingly beat teammate Lu Bo and Japan's Hisashi Mizutori.
A day after Li Ping set two new world records at the Dongguan weightlifting arena, North Korea's Kim Kum Sok broke the Chinese stranglehold by claiming the men's 69-kilogram title.
He finished ahead of Mortaza Rezaeian on lower body weight after they both finished tied on an aggregate of 324kg.
China's 2009 world champion Li Xueying won the women's 58kg class.
World No. 11 Li Na, meanwhile, swept aside fellow WTA Tour professional Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2, 6-1 as China defeated Thailand 2-0 to reach the women's tennis team final.
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