Golden moment for Yannaphon

Kegler Yannaphon Larp-Apharat saved the best for last, clinching his first Asian Games gold medal in the men’s singles in his farewell tournament as a national athlete.

Out of nowhere, the 31-year-old outperformed the host bowlers, the heavy favourites, to steal the show with an impressive 1,139 points, ahead of team-mate Sithiphol Kunaksorn who grabbed the bronze by scoring 1,299 and China’s Du Jianchao, who earned silver by a single point.

“I have won the World Championships, Asian Championships and SEA Games, but this one makes me proudest,” said Yannaphon, after bagging Thailand’s first gold medal at the Incheon Asian Games.

 The triumph could not have come at a better time for the repeat national champion, who plans to retire after the Asiad to become a coach. The Asian Paralympics in Incheon next month will be his first assignment as an instructor.

He dedicated the win to his wife-to-be Somsakon Butsatham, who will walk down the aisle by his side next month in Muang Thong Thani. 

“The gold medal is a special gift for my bride,” said Yannaphon, who is about Bt5 million richer thanks to incentives of Bt4 million from the Thai Tenpin Bowling Congress and Bt1 million from the Sports Authority of Thailand.

Somsakon, who has been dating Yannaphon for four years, said: “I haven’t talked to him much lately but we chat on Line. He said he wanted to have a nice end to his career and he achieved that. The gold medal makes a nice birthday gift – he turns 32 on Friday.”

His mother Sudpim said Yannaphon had called her with the good news, but she already knew thanks to the Internet. She said he had been really determined before making the trip to South Korea.

Yannaphon’s gold medal was Thailand’s first for 16 years in Asian Games bowling, after the Thai men’s trio triumphed in the 1998 Asiad in Thailand. It also came as a massive relief, with Thailand targeting at least 10 golds from the Games. Expectations were that the first Thai gold would be grabbed by weightlifter Pimsiri Sirikaew, but to everyone’s surprise the London Olympics silver medallist could only manage fifth in the women’s 63kg after a total 202kg. Taiwanese Lin Tzu Chi won the gold medal with a world record of 145kg in clean and jerk and a 261kg total. Chinese Deng Wei won the silver with 259kg while North Korean Jo Pokhyang won the bronze with 247kg.

Chatuphum Chinnawong earned one bronze for the Thai weightlifting team yesterday after lifting 353kg in the men’s 77kg, behind China’s Lyu Xiaojun, on 375kg, and North Korea’s Kim Kwangsong, 363kg.

 

Japan’s Kamoto superb

Japan’s Yuya Kamoto took gold in the men’s individual all-round gymnastics yesterday as China again missed out on the medals.

Kamoto, the 2010 Youth Olympics all-round gold medallist, beat Masayoshi Yamamoto into silver for an all-Japan one-two at Incheon’s Namdong Gymnasium.

After slumping to third in the team event on Sunday, powerhouses China were hoping to bounce back, but their duo had to settle for fourth and fifth as South Korea’s Lee Sangwook took bronze.

Kamoto finished top of the qualifying round and picked up where he left off, earning high marks for execution across the six disciplines, including two above 9.0.

The 20-year-old said he felt relieved by the victory – Japan’s first in the event in 36 years.

“Winning these events have been my goal ever since I was selected as a national team member, so I feel like a load has been lifted from my mind,” he said.

Gold medals in shooting and wushu pushed China to 39 early on day four, well ahead of hosts South Korea, with 365 still in play before Asia’s Olympics wraps up on October 4.

Teen sensation Yang Haoran, 18, led a clean sweep of the men’s 10m air rifle event as the world champion claimed the individual title after helping China to team gold.

Team-mate Cao Yifei picked up the silver with 208.9, conceding the lead to Yang in the last two shots of a well-contested eight-man final.

Bronze went to Abhinav Bindra, India’s first and only individual Olympic gold medallist who has announced he is now retreating from full-time shooting.

“I have been shooting for the last 20 years – there is nothing else I have done all these years – and I know it’s time to rethink my future,” Bindra said.

Kazakhstan beat China to gold in the women’s trap shooting to take their third title of the Games.

In squash, celebrated women’s world number one Nicol David fought back from a game down against fellow Malaysian Low Wee Wern to successfully defend her title.

 

China take badminton gold

China beat South Korea to take women’s team badminton gold at the Asian Games after a fierce battle which saw Korea’s top seed break down in tears at her defeat.

The Chinese favourites, who included the world’s top three singles players, won 3-0 overall in a scoreline which belied the hosts’ brave performances.

Distraught star Sung Ji-hyun could not contain her grief after losing to top seed Li Xuerui in a 2-1 duel, having never taken a single game off the world No 1 in their seven previous meetings.

“I was in the very first game [of the evening] for the team and I’m very sorry to my team-mates,” cried Sung. “I should have been more confident.”

 

Sun powers to freestyle gold

China’s Olympic champion Sun Yang stormed to gold in the men’s 400 metres freestyle with a devastating display of power. 

Sun, also world champion, avenged his upset loss to Kosuke Hagino in Sunday’s 200 final by crushing the Japanese and South Korean rival Park Tae-Hwan to win the swimming competition’s blue riband event in three minutes, 43.23 seconds.

Hagino, who has already won three golds in Incheon, took silver in 3:44.48, with former Olympic champion Park, after whom the pool is named, again left with bronze after clocking a pedestrian 3:48.33.