Injury concerns over Chinese swimming star Sun Yang cast a shadow over the Asian Games on Monday as China snapped up six golds to move clear of South Korea on the medals table.
China’s women’s shooters set a new world record in the 10 metres air rifle but only after Zhang Binbin was disqualified and then reinstated following a heated appeal.
China also won the women’s 25m pistol team title, the women’s team gymnastics and had victories in synchronised swimming and wushu to lead hosts South Korea 18 golds to 13.
But double Olympic champion Sun opted to sit out the 4x200m freestyle relay as he nurses a sore thumb sustained in Sunday’s dramatic 200m freestyle final loss to Kosuke Hagino.
Sun, who caught his thumb on the final turn, is scheduled to take on his South Korean rival Park Tae-Hwan in two more swim races in a rivalry billed as a highlight of the Games.
The extent of his injury is not known but his coach Zhang Yadong told China’s Xinhua news agency: “He will not quit.
“All strong men grow up in disadvantaged environment,” insisted Zhang.
At the start of day three in Incheon, there was drama on the shooting range as Zhang was kicked out of the 10m contest over the weight of her air rifle.
But she was eventually allowed to compete after judges upheld her team’s vehement appeal, a lengthy process which delayed the individual final for 30 minutes.
Organisers did not reveal details of Zhang’s ban or reinstatement, which resulted in China taking the gold medal with a record score of 1,253.8 points.
– ‘We respect the decision’ –
A relieved Zhang went on to take bronze in the individual event, where Iranian teenager Najmeh Khedmati won gold ahead of her friend and team-mate Narjes Emamgholinejad.
“I was very sad when I was told I was disqualified, but my team-mates and coaches backed me and said they would appeal,” she told reporters. “I just needed to control my emotions going into the final.”
It meant disappointment for Iran, who had already been declared winners prior to the appeal but had to settle for silver.
But they hit back with a one-two in the individual event led by Khedmati, 18, who beat a strong field including reigning world and Olympic champion Yi Siling.
“We respect the decision of the jury,” Khedmati told AFP. “We always play according to the rules. The whole team is happy we won a gold and two silvers today.”
In the men’s team badminton contest, Malaysia’s world number one Lee Chong Wei slumped to a 2-1 defeat to China’s Chen Long in a repeat of last month’s world championships final.
“I tried my best, I just enjoyed the game,” shrugged Lee, who should face his Chinese nemesis Lin Dan in the individual competition’s semi-finals.
Separately, Myanmar made its mark with two gold medals in sepak takraw, Southeast Asia’s distinctive volleyball-style sport played with the feet.
Ri Jong-Hwa claimed North Korea’s third weightlifting gold in the women’s 58kg class, following Om Yun-Chol and Kim Un-Guk’s record lifts at the Moonlight Festival Garden arena.
In the evening contests, Hagino will go for 200m medley gold in the pool and South Korea will take on favourites China for the women’s team badminton title.