CHINA blew past the 150-medal mark yesterday on day five of the Asian Games, more than double the number of second-place South Korea as the home nation continued its decades-long domination of the event.
The hosts were bolstered by multiple golds in a home sport yesterday, as Chinese athletes won the men’s 70-, 60- and 56-kilogram finals in wushu martial arts, as well as the women’s 60- and 52-kilogram finals.
He Feng, who took gold in the 70kg final by beating former Asian Games gold medallist Mohsen Mohammadseifi of Iran, was trailing in the first round and credited his coaches for helping him adjust.
“It is mainly the result of the tactics and training by the coach, then the most important thing is mentality, which determines success or failure,” he said. “I always tell myself not to give up, persistence is victory.”
Host nations traditionally get a homefield “medal bump,” and He Feng said the crowd also helped keep him going.
“Seeing so many people cheering for me, I think I can’t give up, no matter how tired I am,” He Feng said.
China won almost 300 medals – 132 gold – five years ago at the Asian Games in Indonesia, with South Korea and Japan the main challengers.
Similarly, the two countries were in second and third place for overall medals on Day 5 this year with another 10 days to go. — AP
