Sato, 18, finished the race in 1 hour and 49 seconds followed by Australian Ellie Salthouse who finished in 1 hour and 1 minute and 4 seconds and American Kelly Whitley who came in third with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute and 48 seconds. The 32 athletes swam 750 meters, cycled 20 kilometers and ran 5 kilometers through Singapore's East Coast Park.

“I made it,” Sato said. “I knew this would be the first contest in the Youth Olympics which really got me motivated to go for gold. I really wanted to drive team Japan.” The triathlon started the 12-day event which will feature 3,600 athletes ages 14 to 18 from 204 national olympic committees competing in 26 sports across the Asian city-state.

In an unofficial medal tally because organizers are not collating a medals table, Russia leads the medal haul with four followed by China at three after the first day of competition. Nine countries have won two.

Meanwhile, British diver Tom Daley is in doubt for the Youth Olympics after withdrawing from the European Championships due to a tricep injury.

Daley, who became the youngest diver at 15 to win a world title in men's platform earlier this year, withdrew from the European championships on Saturday and said in a statement he will travel to Singapore and determine later whether he will compete.

Daley's withdrawal would be a blow to the Youth Olympics, which counted the young Briton among one of its marquee competitors. He is due to compete in the 3 meter springboard and 10 meter platform. Daley is also scheduled to compete in the Commonwealth Games in October.