Asian Games crowns champions in China

by Sail-World.com on 25 Nov 2010 Asian Games - While there was almost an information blackout, the medallists have been decided at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou China. The home nation came out on top with eleven medals including four golds. Thailand was next on the medal table with three gold medals.

2010 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship Laser silver medallist Keerati Bualong (THA) hung on to the gold medal in the open Laser Radial event. Hisaki Nagai from Japan was three points behind with the silver medal and Scott Glen Sydney (SIN) was another three points behind with the bronze.

Thailand also won the gold medal in the other open event, the Hobie 16. Damrongsak Vongtim and Kitsada Vongtim won eight races from their twelve race series to beat Joohyun Jun and Gweon Jeong (KOR) into the silver medal position. The podium was completed by Wee Chin Teo and Ming Ho Wong (SIN).

Korea won their only gold medal in the men's Laser event with Jeemin Ha holding off Colin Cheng from Singapore. The brozne medal went to Huichao Chen (CHN).

Japan took the double in the men's and women's 470 events with Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata sweeping to victory in the women's fleet, posting ten race wins from the eleven race series. The silver medal went to Liping Cai and Yang Gao (CHN) with Dawn Xiaodan Liu and Siobhan Shiu Wun Tam (SIN) the bronze.

Ryunosuke Harada and Yuugo Yoshida won gold in the men's 470 event ahead of Weidong Wang and Daokun Deng (CHN). Daeyoung Kim and Sungahn Jung (KOR) completed the top three with the bronze medal.

Singapore achieved the same feat in the two 420 events. Justin Liu and Sherman Cheng (SIN) won the men's gold medal whilst Rachel Lee and Cecilia Low took the women's title.

Malaysia picked up the silver medal in the women's event bronze in the men's. Khairunnisa Afendy, who finished in eighth place at the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds won the silver medal sailing with Norashikin Binti Mohamad Sayed fought of the challenge of the Chinese crew Mengxi Wei and Haiyan Gao to the very end to secure the silver medal for Malaysia.

In the match racing event, Wataru Sakamoto's Japanese team, after a strong performance at the Asian Match Racing titles claimed the gold medal ahead of veteran Indian sailor Farokh Tarapore who took the silver medal.

Tarapore made his first Asian Games appearance in 1982 where he won the gold medal in the Fireball, he went on to win bronze medals in 1986, 1990 and 1994.

South Korea claimed the bronze medal.

King Yin Chan (HKG) finished the championship in style and knocked I Gusti Made Oka Sulaksana from Indonesia of his perch by posting three race wins in the final three races. The podium was completed by Fuwen Yao (CHN). Ning Wang continued to dominate the women's Mistral fleet with nine race wins from twelve races to win the gold medal from Hei Man Chan (HKG) and Napalai Tansai from Thailand.

Aichen Wang (HKG) dominated proceedings from day one with nine wins from twelve races to finish on thirteen points. Silver medallist Ek Boonsawad (THA) finihsed on 32 points just one ahead of bronze medallist Taehoon Lee (KOR) who pulled it out of the bag in the final races to leapfrog Makoto from Japan. Sasa Sun (CHN) claimed gold in the women's RS:X ahead of Wai Kei Chan (HKG) and 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds athlete Sarocha Prumprai (THA).

There was tough competition in the men's Optimist fleet with just eight points separating the top four sailors. Xiaotian Zhang clinched the gold medal ahead of Ali Sabri Khan from Malaysia with Ryan Lo winning the bronze medal for Singapore. In the girl's fleet the gold medal went to Thailand with Noppakao Poonpat on top of the podium. the Silver medal went to Kimberly Lim (SIN) and Yuting Lu from the home nation, China.

http://www.gz2010.cn/en/