NOVEMBER 17, 20 DAILY PAGE 3 ASIAD TOP PERFORMERS Park continues dominance in pool

ROK OLYMPIC CHAMPION ON COURSE FOR HAT-TRICK OF FREESTYLE TITLES AT ASIAD

By LEI LEI The 19-year-old Sun took silver CHINA DAILY in 3:42.47, followed by Asian record holder in 3:49.15. — Aft er claiming his In losing to Park in his second indi- second gold medal at the vidual event at the Guangzhou Games, Guangzhou , the Republic Zhang again failed to gain the upper hand of Korea’s Park Tae-hwan is eyeing a on the Korean, who defeated him three hat-trick. times in freestyle events at the 2006 “I’m very happy to win Asian Games. the race today. I want to Th e men’s 800m freestyle world record raise my physical condi- holder said he is in his adjustment period SWIMMING tion to come up with and is expecting an improvement in more victories in the days ahead,” said form. Park, who edged China’s and “I know my results in Guangzhou are Zhang Lin to win the men’s 400m freestyle not satisfactory and I’m not satisfi ed with on Tuesday. it as well,” Zhang said. The result has temporarily cooled a “But I know which stage I am at right debate in the long rivalry between Park now and I hope I can handle the current and world champion Zhang over who is diffi cult situation.” the more dominant. At the Olympics, Zhang lost to Th e defending champion said he only Park by 0.58 seconds in the 400m race, but had to compete against himself. he still became China’s fi rst male Olympic “I was very nervous at the beginning medalist. because this was a race against myself,” Th e following year he became China’s said Park. fi rst male world swimming champion and Tuesday’s win mirrored his victory the world record holder by winning the over the Chinese duo in the men’s 200m men’s 800m at the Worlds in Rome. freestyle fi nal on Sunday, and set an Asian “In 2008-09 everything went smoothly record in the process. for me, but this year I tried some new tech- Sun claimed the silver medal in that niques and some new training methods,” race, while Zhang only managed a fourth- said Zhang. place fi nish. “My coach told me to do more basic “I’m very satisfi ed with today’s perfor- training to maintain my form and get fully mance,” said Park, who became the ROK’s prepared for next year. I know it has been a fi rst Olympic medalist in swimming by diffi cult year for me, but I can achieve more winning the gold at 400m at the 2008 in the future.” Beijing Games. Despite Zhang’s failure, host China “I’m looking forward to doing even bet- was still the biggest winner in the pool on ter in future events,” he said. Tuesday, claiming fi ve of the seven gold For Wednesday’s 100m race, Park is medals up for grabs. cautious about predicting a third gold. Zhou Jiawei won his second gold in “Th e 100m race will be a tough one; my the men’s 50m butterfly, while Li Zhesi only goal is to have the best competition won the women’s 50m freestyle. Ji Liping with the world’s best athletes,” he said. added another gold in the women’s 100m On Tuesday, Park led all the way and breaststroke. touched the wall in three minutes and China also won the relay titles in men’s PETER PARKS / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE 41.53 seconds — only 0.18 behind Zhang’s 4x100m freestyle and women’s 4x200m Park Tae-hwan of the ROK celebrates with Sun Yang of China at the end of the men’s 400m Asian record. freestyle, beating archrival Japan in both. freestyle fi nal on Tuesday. Park won gold and Sun the silver.

GOLD MEDALISTS >> OTHER OUTSTANDING ATHLETES

WEIGHTLIFTING GYMNASTICS Kazakh adds Chinese Teng clinches Asiad title wins team gold third Asiad gold Double world champion shrugged Gymnast Teng Haibin Maiya Maneza of Kazakhstan off the absence of injured grabbed his third Asian added the Asiad crown to her Wimbledon quarterfi nalist Games gold on the men’s accolades aft er winning the Lu Yen-hsun to win its fi rst pommel horse on Tuesday. women’s -63kg weightlift ing Asian Games men’s tennis Th e reigning world champi- team gold on Tuesday with a on and 2004 Olympic cham- class on Tuesday with the 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan. pion gained 15.375 points to fi nal lift of the contest. Chen Ti (left ) gave Chinese collect one more title aft er Th e Republic of Korea’s Kim Taipei a fl ying start with a winning team and all-around Soo-kyung took silver, with 6-2, 6-4 win over Murad honors. His teammate Yan Chen Aichan of China claim- Inoyatov. Mingyong was a distant sec- ing bronze in a nail-biting ond in 14.725, edging bronze display of weightlift ing at the medalist Huang Che-kuei of AFP Dongguan Gymnasium. AFP XINHUA Chinese Taipei by 0.025.