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The Japan News/Yomiuri
The Japan News/Yomiuri
Sport
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Jakarta Asian Games / Ushiro repeats as decathlon champ while Japan adds gold in team archery, bronze in karate

Keisuke Ushiro celebrates after successfully defending his Asian Games title in the decathlon on Sunday in Jakarta. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

JAKARTA -- Japan added to its medal tally at the Asian Games in Jakarta on Monday, including a gold medal won by the mixed recurve archery team, which defeated North Korea 6-0.

Kayo Someya also won bronze in the women's 68-kilogram class in the karate kumite event on Monday.

In athletics action on Sunday night, Japan's Keisuke Ushiro won gold in the men's decathlon, while Ryota Yamagata finished third in the men's 100 meters.

Keita Nakajima also won gold in the men's individual golf competition.

In the karate final, Someya lost 1-0 to Tang Lingling of China in the quarterfinals before defeating Taiwan's Chao Jou 3-1 in the bronze-medal match. Guzaliya Gafurova of Kazakhstan beat Tang in the final to win the event.

"I competed in [the bronze medal contest] thinking that I need to at least win a medal for Japan," Someya said.

Someya said karateka in Asia and elsewhere have rapidly improved since karate was added to the Olympic program for the 2020 Tokyo Games, with governments offering support to athletes.

Ushiro overcomes injury

Ushiro's victory earned him his second consecutive gold in the decathlon at the Asian Games, as he won with 7,878 points.

"Honestly, I'm tired," Ushiro said.

In the 1,500-meter race -- the final competition of the event -- Ushiro passed eventual silver medalist Suttisak Singkhon of Thailand to seal the top spot by 69 points.

"I tried exceeding my limit until I felt like I couldn't take another stride," Ushiro said. "That's my style of competing in races."

Although he finished first among the competition in the pole vault by clearing 4.90 meters, Ushiro revealed he competed with a sprained ankle suffered during a practice vault.

He said he was dissatisfied with his overall performance, but added, "I could prove that I'm the champion of Asia."

The men's 100 -- one of the highlights of the athletics program -- was also held Sunday. Yamagata won the bronze medal with a time of 10:00 seconds, as Su Bingtian of China clocked 9.92 to finish first.

"I did all I could do in the race," Yamagata said.

Fellow Japanese sprinter Aska Cambridge failed to advance to the 100 final. "I'm having a hard time running in the manner I've planned for races this season," Cambridge said.

Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/

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