DOHA, 14 December 2006 — While the Asian Games were winding down yesterday, China seemed to be gearing back up.
With just one full day of competition left, the Chinese won 10 more gold medals yesterday to move just three away from the 150 they won in Busan, South Korea in 2002.
More strikingly — at least in how the country has dominated the other 44 nations here - the 2008 Beijing Olympic hosts were nearly 100 ahead of their nearest rivals. South Korea has 51 gold and Japan 49, those two countries left to battle it out for a distant second place.
With 41 more gold medals to be decided Thursday, there’s a good chance China could widen the gap even more. Only two golds will be awarded Friday, when China’s basketball team led by NBA prospect Yi Jianlian will play in the gold medal final. Tennis player Zheng Jie added to China’s burgeoning total.
In the women’s final, Zheng beat fourth-seeded Sania Mirza of India 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.
In the deciding set, Zheng went up two service breaks to lead 4-1, then won her next service game at love. In the final game, Mirza double-faulted twice — on the last two points of the match.
“I served quite well in the beginning, but then began making silly errors,” said Mirza. “Zheng capitalized on her chances and I did not.” The veteran doubles team of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi gave India a gold in men’s doubles, beating twin brothers Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana of Thailand 5-7, 7-6 (7), 6-3. Paes and Mirza later won the mixed doubles gold with a three-set win over Japan’s Satoshi Iwabuchi and Akiko Morigami.
The world’s top women’s squash player, Nicol David of Malaysia, was completely overpowering in her semifinal with Mak Pui Hin of Hong Kong, winning 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 in just 21 minutes to advance to Thursday’s final.
David, 23, came to Doha on a 33-match winning streak and had won six straight titles. She’s extended the run to 35 in row, having lost only five points in six sets here, and looks good for a gold medal. World champion Zou Shiming earned China its first Asian Games boxing gold medal in 16 years when his one-sided light flyweight bout against Thailand’s Suban Pannon was stopped in the second round. Zhou pounded Suban mercilessly in the first round to take a 10-1 lead on points. After taking an 11-0 lead in the second, the referee stopped the fight.
“Last night I did not sleep, I was thinking about this match and I also did not eat,” said Zhou. “When my bus was coming toward the stadium, I was only thinking about this match.” Lightweight Hu Qing added another gold medal for China when he used some powerful combinations to beat Mongolia’s Munkh Erdene Uranchimeg 38-22. Ren Ye scored in the 41st minute to give China a 1-0 win over Japan in the women’s field hockey final, while North Korea defeated Japan 4-2 on penalties after the scoreless double-overtime women’s soccer gold match. South Korea won the women’s team in archery, defeating China 215-209 at the Lusail Shooting Complex.
Park Sung-hyun, a member of South Korea’s four-person team, said she was surprised by the popularity of the sport during the games.
“I am so grateful for the interest that has grown for this event, which has not been so popular previously,” said Park. I hope the interest ... will grow and become well-known.” South Korea’s men’s team later took the archery gold and Japan won gold in men’s team sabre in fencing while Hong Kong’s women’s team took the epee gold. Indonesia and Vietnam won the men’s and women’s double title, respectively, in sepaktakraw.
