WRAPUP 1-Games-Yu completes hat-trick of gold in fairytale Asian Games debut

Three golds in three ​events, each with a benchmark timing — the script could not have ‌been ​written any better for Chinese swimming sensation Yu Zidi, who capped her fairytale Asian Games debut in style on Wednesday.

Having already shaken the swimming world by winning the 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley, the 13-year-old erased any lingering doubts about her generational talent with a dominant victory in the ‌400m individual medley, further tightening China's grip on the medals table. Yu's wire-to-wire win, clocked at four minutes and 28.56 seconds, set a new Games record and came comfortably 3.95 seconds ahead of compatriot Ke Wenxi.

"I am very happy. I have gained a lot from these Asian Games, but there are also some regrets," Yu said. "I will go back and review what I did not do well. Hopefully, I can do better ‌next time."

China's butterfly queen Zhang Yufei was the latest to gush about Yu, who is already tipped for a duel with Canadian Summer McIntosh at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "I've only seen her ‌at the National Games so far but seeing her results get better and better it makes me really happy," Zhang told Reuters.

"I also hope this little girl can maintain her trajectory... It will be interesting to see how high she can go. "I think everyone's been surprised seeing what she has done in these two years. It seems every competition she reaches a higher level. Now everyone wonders what's next?"

Elsewhere in the pool, Peng Xuwei claimed the women's 100m backstroke title, even though she was "not ⁠particularly satisfied" with ​how she swam, while Zhang Zhanshuo powered to victory ⁠in the men's 200m freestyle to bag his fourth gold of the ongoing Games. PARIS REVENGE

The day also brought a measure of revenge for China over Japan, avenging their defeat at the Paris Olympics two years ago after Zhang Boheng produced a ⁠nerveless display on the high bar to seal the men's team gymnastics gold. It marked the second time Zhang had turned the tables on Japan at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, having already edged out Shinnosuke Oka for the all-around title — just ​two years after finishing runner-up to him in Paris.

"Looking back now, I would not call Paris a regret," Zhang said. "It was one stage in my gymnastics career. I learned a great ⁠deal there and took a great deal from it, and I used it to work on my shortcomings, right up to taking this gold medal today."

On the track, athletics powerhouse China opened their campaign in style, sweeping the half-marathon race walk. Shi Shengji broke ⁠clear ​after the 10km mark and never looked back, the 19-year-old overpowering Japan's world record holder Yamanishi Toshikazu.

Yang Liujing claimed the women's gold after compatriot Jiang Yunyan, who had been running neck and neck, was penalised and demoted to bronze. In weightlifting, North Korea's Ri Song Gum shattered three world records on her way to a third Asian Games gold.

The 28-year-old lifted 94kg in the snatch and 121kg in ⁠the clean-and-jerk for a combined total of 215kg, resetting all three benchmarks in the women's 49kg category. "The world record and this gold medal hold great meaning for me, because of everything I poured ⁠into this competition," Ri said after securing North Korea's first ⁠gold of the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

On the road, Kazakhstan's Alexey Lutsenko bowed out of the Asian Games in style, claiming his second gold in Nagoya with victory in the men's road race. Lutsenko, who will retire from cycling at the end of the year, had already won gold in the men's individual ‌time trial and signs off with ‌an impressive haul of seven Asian Games medals.

(Additional reporting by Ian Ransom and Irene Wang in Nagoya and ​Michael Church in Tokyo; editing by Christian Radnedge)