Nagoya [Japan], September 23: Yumeki Kojima powered to medley gold at the Asian Games on Tuesday as hosts Japan hailed their own prodigy after his win took away the focus from China's teen swimming sensation Yu Zidi.
Such was Kojima's swim that it made French great Leon Marchand take notice.
The 17-year-old Kojima's triumph in the men's 400 metres individual medley set a Games record of four minutes 7.02 seconds at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, topping the 12-year-old mark of Kosuke Hagino, one of Japan's favourite swimming sons.
World record holder Marchand was at the pool giving a swimming clinic for local children but Kojima hopes one day to school the four-times Olympic champion.
"Marchand is the athlete I'm aiming for the most. I want to close the gap on him little by little and, one day, be able to beat him," said Kojima, who also rewrote his world junior record.
Highlighted by schoolgirl Yu's two individual golds, China have dominated the pool at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, and they continued in that vein on day three of full competition.
Peng Xuwei grabbed another title for the swimming superpower in the women's 200m backstroke in an Asian record 2:05.77 to smash the previous mark (2:06.46) of compatriot Zhao Jing.
World record in shooting
China may struggle to match their record of 201 golds from their home Games in Hangzhou three years ago but record-breaking shooters Sheng Lihao and Wang Zifei won't be to blame.
Olympic champion Sheng claimed his third gold at Nagoya alongside Wang in the 10m air rifle mixed team event as they combined for a world-record score of 507.1.
Sheng, a double gold medallist at Hangzhou, had already swept the individual and men's team titles in the 10m air rifle earlier in the competition.
Silver for Afghanistan's Hashimi
Afghanistan celebrated a maiden cycling medal won by a woman who once disguised herself as a man when training in the nation and ultimately fled the Taliban when they returned to power.
Fariba Hashimi said her silver behind China's Guo Li the road event showed the resilience of Afghan women.
"I hope that the next generation will come here and represent their country without any fear," said the Italy-based cyclist. "They took away our freedom, they took away everything from us."
Yu in action again
On Wednesday, China's teenage phenomenon Yu is set to return to the pool on day four on Wednesday in pursuit of a third individual title in the 400m medley, while hosts Japan face a gymnastics showdown with China for the men's and women's team golds. The 13-year-old has already won two golds.
Source: Qatar Tribune