APG2022: Shared Gold and APG record for Anku Matsuda and Lee Inkook
On the fourth day of the Asian Para Games, in addition to the remarkable record-breaking performances, athletes also shared the Gold medals and All-Play Record (APR) recognition.
Swimming
Anku Matsuda (L) and Lee Inkook (R). Photo Credit: Sport Inclusion Australia and International Paralympic Committee
The Men’s 100m Butterfly delivered an electrifying showdown as Anku Matsuda (JPN), Lee Inkook (KOR), and Nakajima Keichi (JPN) engaged in an epic battle. Nakajima took an early lead, but Anku and Lee surged ahead shortly after. The two swimmers engaged in a thrilling neck-and-neck duel, racing to the finish line with the exact same time (57.86). Not only did they both earn a shared Gold medal, but they also shattered the APG records.
Matsuda, ecstatic about his unexpected victory in his APG debut, expressed,
“All I did was empty my mind and give everything I had. To be honest, I did not expect this, as it’s not my best event. It feels amazing to achieve such a great result.”
He also described the APG as ‘a festival for para athletes’ and shared his aspirations for the future:
“My future plan is to win another gold medal in the Paris Paralympics, which represents a higher stage and greater challenges. I will be prepared for that.”
In the Women’s 100m Butterfly, Yui Lam Chan added another gold medal to her collection, along with an APG record (1:04.71), outpacing Japan’s Aira Kinoshita (1:06.88) and Inoue Mami (1:09.60).
Athletics
The streak of record-breaking performances extended into Athletics as well. Japanese jumpers made a strong statement right from the first jump, with Kawaguchi Rio leaping 5.06m and Sakai Sonomi covering 5.04m. Both athletes continued to push their limits in an attempt to outdo their teammate. However, it was Sakai who surpassed Kawaguchi with an incredible leap of 5.37m in her fifth attempt, breaking the APG record in the process.
Table Tennis
The Round of 16 matches concluded today in both Women’s and Men’s doubles, paving the way for the top two teams from each group to advance to the semifinals.
In the Men’s Doubles, the first match will see Kim Chang Gi and Kim Gi Tae (KOR) competing against Fan Ka Ho and Wan Wai Lok (HKG) for a spot in the finals. In the second match, Hong Kong’s Leung Chung Yan and Tsoi Ming Fai will face Japan’s Takeshi Takemori and Kato Koya.
For the Women’s Doubles, one table will feature Chinese Taipei taking on Japan, while the other will showcase both teams from Hong Kong vying for a place in the finals.
In the Mixed Doubles category, the quarterfinal matches are set, with TPE vs. HKG, THA vs. JPN, JPN vs. THA, and HKG vs. KOR in the first half of the bracket.
Live results can be accessed from Hangzhou Asian Para Games website.
With only two days remaining until the conclusion of the APG, it promises to be an exciting finale as athletes give their all and test their limits in the remaining events.
