JAKARTA -- The morning after teen swimming star Rikako Ikee sped to victory in the women's 50-meter freestyle to become the first Japanese to win six gold medals at an Asian Games, Hiroto Inoue needed a final sprint to win the men's marathon on Saturday, continuing a gold medal rush from the day before.
Japan won two golds in karate and one in cycling with a victory in the men's BMX race on Saturday, while on Friday night, the women's softball team beat Taiwan 7-0 for its fifth consecutive Asian Games victory, and a Japanese pair won the men's lightweight double sculls in rowing.
In the marathon, starting under tough weather conditions of 26 C and 82 percent humidity in Jakarta even in the morning, Inoue had a blistering race that came down to a sprint to the finish with Elhassan Elabbassi from Bahrain, that he won as both clocked 2 hours 18 minutes 22 seconds.
Inoue stayed in the main pack in the early stages and remained among four runners who broke away into a lead group. At just past the 37-kilometer point, Elabbassi took off and Inoue was the only one able to respond.
Inoue and Elabbassi entered the stadium together and Inoue took a slight lead as they made their way around the track. On the final straight, Elabbassi almost caught up with Inoue, but the Japanese held on to win by a stride.
Japan's Hayato Sonoda came in fourth at 2:19.04
Inoue became the first Japanese runner in 32 years to win the men's marathon at the Asian Games, dating back to Takeyuki Nakayama's victory at the Seoul Asian Games in 1986.
Swimmers end with 19 golds
After finishing her final race, the 50 freestyle, in an Asian Games record of 24.53 seconds, Ikee walked toward the stands, where Japanese fans waved flags to celebrate her unprecedented sixth gold. Ikee stopped for a moment and could not hold back the tears.
"There were so many people, including my family [in the stands] coming to see my race," Ikee said. "After seeing those faces, I felt so happy."
Ikee participated in eight races and won all four of the individual events she entered. Also, she and her teammates set Japan records in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay and women's 4x100 medley relay.
"I'm thrilled, as I did not really expect to win six golds," Ikee said.
However, she described her achievement as being at the Asian stage and said she is still on her way to the Olympics. "I think it is important how I make good use of [this experience]."
Later on Friday, Yasuhiro Koseki won the men's 50 breaststroke for a sweep of the three breaststroke golds.
Japan finished with a total of 19 gold medals in swimming. China also won 19 after its dramatic victory over Japan in the final event, the men's 4x100 medley relay.
5th straight title for softball
In the softball final, Yukiko Ueno, who served as Japan's flag-bearer in the opening ceremony, pitched the first three innings and Yu Yamamoto smashed a three-run homer as Japan defeated Taiwan.
"We could exert all our strength," Ueno said.
Yamato Fujita followed Ueno with two innings of relief, allowing no runners with four strikeouts.
In 2020, softball will return to the Olympic program for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Games. Ueno was also the pitcher of the Japan team that won gold in Beijing.
In good form in karate
On the first day of final events in karate, Japanese athletes took the golds in both women's and men's kata (form).
Kiyou Shimizu beat Sou Soi Lam of Macau 5-0 for the women's title, with her sharp movements drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
"I felt great performing among the cheers," Shimizu said.
With karate added to the Olympic program for the 2020 Tokyo Games, Shimizu said, "For us, [the Asian Games] is a great opportunity to increase awareness of karate." Shimizu added, "It's nice that I could win in the first final event."
In the men's final, Ryo Kiyuna defeated Taiwan's Wang Yita 5-0. "I am glad that I could show the audience the kata of Japan," Kiyuna said. "Kumite events start from today so I want to give my full support for [other Japanese athletes]."
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