HANGZHOU – China’s Wu Yu enjoyed an afternoon stroll to the first boxing gold of the Asian Games on Tuesday, then set her sights on winning an Olympic title in Paris.
The Chinese barely broke sweat and her face was completely unmarked after her women’s flyweight (50kg) final against Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat thrilled a big Hangzhou Gymnasium crowd who created a raucous atmosphere.
All five judges scored 30-27 in favour of Wu, who also won the world championships title in the non-Olympic 52kg weight class in New Delhi in March.
“It was as comfortable as it looked,” Wu said. “But I am still not satisfied with my performance.”
Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg and Nikhat Zareen of India won the bronzes as beaten semi-finalists.
Wu’s gold was the first of 13 in a boxing competition where not only medals are available, but also Olympic qualification spots for Paris 2024.
There are 20 women’s berths available in six weight divisions and 14 places in seven divisions for the men.
“My focus now is on winning gold at Paris 2024,” added Wu.
“I was very proud today on the podium that I could live up to my country’s expectations.”
In cycling, Olga Zabelinskaya won gold for Uzbekistan in the women’s individual time trial, the latest Russia-born athlete to have topped the podium in Hangzhou.
Zabelinskaya’s Russia-born teammate Anna Prakaten won the women’s rowing single skulls gold last week, two years after winning silver at the Tokyo Olympics while representing the Russian Olympic Committee.
The 43-year-old Zabelinskaya won two Olympic road cycling bronze medals at London 2012 and a silver at Rio 2016 while competing for Russia.
She served an 18-month ban for doping between her Olympic appearances. On Tuesday, she finished the 18.3km course ahead of Japan’s Eri Yonamine and Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova.
“Representing different teams is due to various reasons,” said Zabelinskaya, who switched nationality to Uzbekistan in 2018.
“But no matter if I represented Russia at the Olympic Games or Uzbekistan at the Asian Games, my goal has always been to win medals. I don’t pay much attention to the nationality. I just need to do my best.”
Zabelinskaya will also line up in the women’s road race on Wednesday and, like Wu, hopes to compete in the Paris Olympics next summer.
Elsewhere, on the final day of the canoe sprint, China collected an additional five gold medals.
World champion Lin Wenjun won the women’s canoe single 200m title, while Orasa Thiangkathok of Thailand and Mariya Brovkova of Kazakhstan secured second and third place respectively.
“I am very happy to get this gold. While my speed is already considered good in the competition, improving my sprint skill might be the most important thing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games now,” Lin said.
Meanwhile, Li Dongyin was crowned champion in the women’s kayak single 500m, as China bagged another gold in the men’s kayak four 500m – the team comprising Bu Tingkai, Zhang Dong, Wang Congkang and Dong Yi.
The other two gold medals went to Li, Wang Nan, Yin Mengdie and Sun Yuewen in the women’s kayak four 500m, while Lin paired with Shuai Changwen to clinch the women’s canoe double 200m.
AFP, REUTERS, XINHUA
