Key Points
- Takumi Hojo wins the first gold medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
- China’s Zhang Xirui takes silver, while Kazakhstan’s Arlan Zhanabay wins bronze
- Hojo finishes nine seconds ahead of Zhang after a strong final running leg
NAGOYA: Japan’s Takumi Hojo won the first gold medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, taking the men’s individual triathlon title after a strong finish in the final running section.
Hojo completed the 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre cycling section and 5-kilometre run in 52 minutes 56 seconds at the triathlon venue in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture.
China’s Zhang Xirui finished second in 53 minutes 5 seconds, nine seconds behind Hojo, while Kazakhstan’s Arlan Zhanabay took the bronze medal in 53 minutes 11 seconds.
Hojo emerged from Mikawa Bay in fourth and secured fifth position during the cycling section before making his decisive move during the run. Zhang stayed close for much of the final stage but could not match the Japanese athlete in the closing stretch.
Japan’s first medal of Asia Games
The victory gave Japan its first gold medal of its home Asian Games and extended its winning run in the men’s individual triathlon to five consecutive editions. Japan had also won the event at the previous four Asian Games.
Hojo, 30, was part of Japan’s gold-medal-winning mixed relay team at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. His latest victory also secures a qualification place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, according to reports.
“I was really fired up and was in top form right up until I stood on the starting line,” Hojo said after the race. He added that winning Japan’s first gold had given the national team a boost.
READ ALSO: Asian Games Kick Off in Japan With Record Participation
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games officially opened on Saturday, with competition continuing across Japan in 43 sports. The Games run through October 4 and are being hosted mainly in the Aichi and Nagoya region.
Triathlon is an endurance race that combines three events — swimming, cycling and running — completed one after another. Athletes race on a set distance in each discipline, and the overall winner is the competitor who completes all three stages in the shortest time.
