Japan outstrip China in swimming events

Hagino takes gold medals’ tally up to three as Sun sits out

INCHEON: Japan's Kosuke Hagino starred in the Asian Games swimming with his second and third gold medals on Monday as Chinese superstar Sun Yang was sidelined with an injured thumb.

Although China took firm control of the medals table on day three, Hagino helped keep China's men winless after two nights of swimming as he again stole the spotlight.

Hagino smashed the Asian record with a time of one minute, 55.34 seconds to win the 200m individual medley, more than three seconds ahead of teammate Hiromasa Fujimori.

And he swam the second leg as Japan easily won the 4x200m freestyle relay ahead of China, missing Sun who hurt his thumb in Sunday's 200m freestyle loss to Hagino.

"We're leading China now and if we all take care of our personal targets, we could end up in a good place," said Hagino, with Japan 7-5 ahead in pool wins.

Despite Sun's problems, day three in Incheon belonged to China as they swept 14 golds in badminton, wushu, synchronised swimming, cycling, fencing, shooting, gymnastics and weightlifting.

China, who won a record 199 gold medals in 2010, now sit 12 clear of South Korea with 26.

S Korea women go down 3-0 in badminton

China beat South Korea to take the women's team badminton in a fierce battle which saw Korea's top seed break down in tears at her defeat.

The Chinese favourites defeated the hosts 3-0 overall in a scoreline which belied the Koreans' brave performances.

In the men's team semi-final, 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.

China's female shooters set a new world record in the 10m team air rifle, but only after the disqualification of Zhang Binbin was overturned.

A relieved Zhang went on to take bronze in the individual event, where Iranian teenager Najmeh Khedmati won gold ahead of her friend and teammate Narjes Emamgholinejad.

Myanmar made their mark with two gold medals in sepak takraw, Southeast Asia's distinctive volleyball-style sport played with the feet and a rattan ball.

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.

Olympic champion Lin Qingfeng earned China's first weightlifting gold in the men's 69kg, and China easily won the women's team gymnastics competition.