Two spectacular pile-ups marred the final of an incident-packed women’s points race at the Asian Games yesterday, leaving one rider with a dislocated shoulder and a medal winner in tears.
China’s Liu Xin won the race to claim gold, but that was not the major talking-point at Guangzhou Velodrome.
A first crash that saw all the riders back on their bikes was proceeded by a huge smash that left several riders dazed and strewn across the track, with several unable to continue, as coaches and medics rushed to their aid.
PHOTO: AFP
Having taken a heavy tumble at speed, Hong Kong’s Wong Wan-yiu gingerly got back on her bike and completed the race to take silver in what her coach called “a miracle.”
Wong had to be helped up to the podium to collect her medal and sobbed uncontrollably as she shakily stood for the Chinese national anthem, clutching her arm and her knees clearly badly bruised and grazed.
Japan’s Mayuko Hagiwara and China’s Tang Kerong were also sent flying in the second crash and had to be stretchered off. Tang suffered a dislocated shoulder, cuts and bruises and was to remain in hospital until tomorrow.
Chanpeng Nontasin, of Thailand, took bronze.
Hong Kong claimed silver and China took bronze after they defeated Iran in a race-off.
In the swimming, South Korea’s Park Tae-hwan smiled at the finish line and wagged his -finger. -Delighted South Korean fans waved their flag and chanted his name.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist signaled his comeback by swimming his fastest time in two years for the 400m freestyle yesterday, completing a golden 200-400 double at the Guangzhou Asian Games.
Park led from the start in the 400 final and finished in 3 minutes, 41.53 seconds.
China’s Sun Yang and Zhang Lin — the Beijing Games silver medalist — trailed throughout the race, with Sun touching 0.94 seconds behind Park to claim silver.
Meanwhile, soccer powerhouse Japan crushed India 5-0 to move into the Asian Games quarter-finals yesterday where they were joined by North Korea who edged past Vietnam 2-0.
They stay in the gold medal hunt along with four-time champions Iran, triple winners South Korea, Uzbekistan and Oman who made the last eight on Monday.
Japan will tackle Thailand, managed by former England captain Bryan Robson, who edged Turkmenistan 1-0 for a place in the semi-finals.
North Korea meet the United Arab Emirates who won a bad-tempered clash with local rivals Kuwait 2-0.
Thailand reached the quarter-finals when Kirati Keawsombut scored an extra-time winner just minutes after Wichaya Dechmitr had been sent-off.
North Korea’s clash with Vietnam was a much tighter affair, with Choe Kum-chol 35th minute strike all that separated them for much of the match before Choe Myong-ho converted a 91st minute penalty to seal the win.
The UAE defeated Gulf rivals Kuwait 2-0 with Hamdan Al Kamali, with a 67th-minute penalty, and an Abdulla Bloushi strike three minutes from time securing the win.
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