Chinese swimmers excel
Paul Eckert
A North Korean weightlifter scored the first world record of this year's Asian Games on Tuesday, while host South Korea shattered Thailand's proud dominance of the obscure ancient sport of sepak takraw.
The second day of events at the two-week Games also saw China's midas touch in top form, with Chinese swimmers marking their National Day by winning all five finals.
While Qi Hui and Luo Xuejuang won expected gold medals in the women's individual events, Liu Yu and schoolboy Wu Peng upset Japan's male swimmers as China dominated the evening session at Sajik Pool. The Chinese capped a successful day in the pool by winning the women's 4x200 metres relay.
Powerhouse China won the men's team gymnastics gold, with the silver going to South Korea and Japan taking the bronze.
North Korea's Olympic silver medallist Ri Song-hui broke a world record in the women's 53 kg weightlifting snatch, lifting 102.5 kg to win the gold medal.
For the first world record to fall in the Pusan Games, the 23-year-old Ri beat the previous mark of 100 kg set by China's Yang Xia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
In the men's 56 kg division, China's Wu Meijin took the gold with a total weight of 292.5 kg. Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) took the silver and bronze.
THAIS DETHRONED IN SEPAK TAKRAW
In a stunning upset in a sport little known outside Asia, South Korea shocked Thailand to win the men's circle sepak takraw gold medal.
Heavily favoured Thailand, who took five of six sepak takraw golds at the 1998 Bangkok Games, lodged a protest, saying the referees missed several Thai points in the rapid-fire event.
In circle sepak takraw, one of two variants of the 1,000-year-old sport, five players kick a rattan ball around a circle seven metres (yards) in diameter and are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands.
Thailand won the gold in women's circle sepak takraw.
IRAN ON TRACK IN SOCCER
Veteran Ali Daei helped defending champions Iran move closer to the soccer quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Lebanon, while North Korea thrashed Pakistan 5-0 and Kuwait beat Hong Kong 1-0.
Afghanistan slumped to an 11-0 defeat against Qatar as their baptism of fire continued on their return to the international game after the collapse of the Taliban regime.
Japan enjoyed a 5-2 victory over Bahrain and needed just a point from their final group match against Uzbekistan, who beat the Palestinians 2-0, to reach the quarter-finals.
Iran, who thrashed Afghanistan 10-0 in their opening group E match, are also a point away from the last eight after battling to beat the Lebanese, who drew their first match 1-1 with Qatar.
Qatar must now beat Iran to make sure of progressing.
North Korea are level on six points with Kuwait, who they must beat in their last group match for a quarter-final spot.
In rugby sevens, South Korea beat back a late challenge from Taiwan to defend their Asian Games title with a 33-21 victory.
Wu Chih-hsien scored a minute after the break to put Taiwan ahead 14-12, but South Korea's Kim Hyoung-ki touched down twice under the posts for the hosts.
Chang Ching-fong brought Taiwan to within one score with seconds left, but South Korea responded with a Jun Jong-man try to seal victory. Thailand took the bronze with a third-place playoff win over Japan.
South Korean women fencers continued to outclass their opponents, with Kim Hee-jeong topping team-mate Hyun Hee 15-14 in the individual epee. China's Shen Weiwei won the bronze.
South Korea's men added to the host's medal count, with Lee Seung-won outscoring China's Wang Jingzhi 15-8 for the gold medal in individual sabre and team-mate Kim Doo-hong taking third.
India won its first gold at the Games when Yasin Reza Amirali Merchant and Rafath Habib beat Hong Kong's Fu Marco Ka Chun and Au Chi Wai 3-1 to win the men's snooker doubles.
(Additional reporting by Ken Ferris and Alastair Himmer)
