NAGOYA: The first gold medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was won by Japan’s Takumi Hojo on Sunday, taking the men’s individual triathlon title after a strong finish in the final running section.
Hojo completed the 750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5,000m run in 52 minutes and 56 seconds to win gold, finishing nine seconds ahead of China’s Zhang Xirui. Kazakhstan’s Arlan Zhanabay was another six seconds behind in third.
It was the first of 469 gold medals to be awarded at a two-week spectacle that has more athletes than the Olympics.
Action also began in the swimming pool, where Yu Zidi, who does not turn 14 until next month, was fastest by far in the women’s 200m butterfly heats.
The 30-year-old Hojo said: “As it’s our first gold medal it’s given the Japanese team a real boost.” His win will qualify him for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I was really fired up. Even the rain held off and I was in top form right up until I stood on the starting line,” Hojo added, who also won the Asian Games test triathlon a year ago on the same course in Gamagori city.
“(I knew) it’d be tough, but (I thought) I’ll push myself, and if it works, I think it’ll be a good race.”
Japan secured its first gold medal at its home Asian Games with the victory, while also extending its winning streak in the men’s individual triathlon to five consecutive editions. The country had won the event at each of the previous four Asian Games.
As always at the Asian Games, which started in 1951, Olympic staples such as athletics and swimming will sit side-by-side with regional favourites like sepak takraw and kabaddi.
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