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Friday Nov 15, 2024
Monday, 29 September 2014 00:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Qatar’s Femi Seun Ogunode reacts as he runs past a board showing his record after finishing the men’s 100m final at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium during the 17th Asian Games 28 September – REUTERS
On a day when China smashed through the 100 gold medal mark, and second-placed South Korea put daylight between themselves and rivals Japan, Ogunode blasted out of the blocks and motored home ahead of China’s Su Bingtian and Japan’s Kei Takase.
Originally hailing from Nigeria, Ogunode won the 200-400 double four years ago and is going for the 100-200 in Incheon. While his task was made easier by the withdrawal of Japan’s Yoshihide Kiryu due to injury, his time of 9.93 seconds in atrocious conditions confirmed his status as Asia’s fastest man.
“I had always confidence in myself,” he said at a news conference. “I don’t know what to say. So grateful and so happy. After four months of training, I am now looking forward to going back home to meet my family.”
In the women’s blue riband sprint, China’s Wei Yongli pipped Japan’s Chisato Fukushima by a hundredth of a second, with Kazakhstan’s Olga Safronova another hundredth back in third.
“I didn’t think I could be the champion,” said Wei. “I had a very good coach from America.”
Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet finally got her hands on a gold medal after her disqualification from the women’s steeplechase the previous night was overturned. The Kenyan-born 17-year-old had momentarily stepped off the track during her run at the Asiad Main Stadium and was then stunningly stripped of her gold medal while waiting for the prize-giving ceremony and had to be led away in tears.
However, reviews later showed that her infraction had not impeded any of her competitors and the decision was reversed, allowing Jebet to stand atop the podium at a rearranged ceremony on Sunday. “I was quite shocked because I wasn’t even aware of the mistake,” she said at a news conference. “I’m happy to become a gold medallist because I had a problem yesterday. But I fought for my king. I was waiting for the gold.”
Badminton World Number 1 Lee falls yet again to great Chinese rival LinReuters: Badminton world number one Lee Chong Wei fell yet again to his great adversary Lin Dan in the semi-finals of the Asian Games on Sunday, ending the Malaysian’s last hope of winning a gold medal at the Asiad.
The 31-year-old is winding down a career that has seen him win more than 50 career titles and crowned the world’s top player, but the search for that elusive major title goes on.
On Sunday, it was his Chinese nemesis, the man who has denied the Malaysian glory on so many occasions, that brought him to his knees once more.
“This is my last Asian Games, so I tried my best,” said a disappointed Lee, who fought back from a set down to level the match but was blown away by Lin’s pace and power in the decider.
“In the first set, I led the game until the middle of set, but finally lost. In third, I couldn’t match his speed.”
Lin won a close first set 22-20 but Lee stepped up his game in the second, capitalising on uncharacteristic errors from his opponent to level the match 21-12.
But the double Olympic and five-time world champion took his game to a new level in the third set and took the decider 21-12.
“Even though I couldn’t win the gold and lost in the semi-finals, I’m very satisfied with my result,” said Lee.
Lin was the only man that stood between Lee and Olympic gold both in London and Beijing, but the Chinese sensation always had the best of him at the Games.
He also beat him the final of the world championships twice and denied him gold at the last Asian Games in Guangzhou four years ago.
Lin, who will now meet compatriot Chen Long in Monday’s final, had nothing but praise for his long-time rival.
“Lee Chong Wei is the greatest competitor,” he said. “It was my honour to compete with him.” |
