Chiu Hin-chun wins gold to complete Asian Games medal set as Hong Kong enjoys record day
Thestandard · 4 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong rower Chiu Hin-chun clinched gold in the lightweight men's single sculls final at the 20th Asian Games on Thursday, September 24, completing a full set of medals across three consecutive Games. The 32-year-old overcame a sluggish first half to power past Uzbekistan's Firdavs Akhunov in the final 500 metres, crossing the line in six minutes and 50.32 seconds at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course. His victory helped spearhead Hong Kong's most successful single day at these Games, with the delegation securing seven medals overall to bring their tally to 23 medals including four golds .
Key Points
- Chiu Hin-chun finished first in the lightweight men's single sculls with a time of 6:50.32, completing his set of Asian Games medals
- The Hong Kong veteran tracked second through the first 1,000 metres, trailing Uzbekistan's Firdavs Akhunov by just 0.63 seconds
- Chiu seized the lead with 500 metres remaining while Akhunov faded and dropped out of medal contention entirely
- Iran's Amirhossein Mahmoodpour Shahrestani took silver in 6:52.59 and South Korea's Park Hyun-su earned bronze in 6:53.35
- Hong Kong's rowing squad claimed one gold and three additional medals on the day, while the overall delegation secured seven medals overall
Why It Matters
Chiu's gold marks Hong Kong's first victory in the lightweight men's single sculls category at the Asian Games and the fourth gold of these Games . The achievement, combined with a record seven medals in a single day, demonstrates Hong Kong's expanding competitiveness across multiple sports disciplines . The Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme will provide Chiu with HK$1 million in recognition of his milestone achievement, reinforcing the importance of financial support for elite athletes .
Chiu's gold marks Hong Kong's first victory in the lightweight men's single sculls category at the Asian Games and the fourth gold of these Games . The achievement, combined with a record seven medals in a single day, demonstrates Hong Kong's expanding competitiveness across multiple sports disciplines . The Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme will provide Chiu with HK$1 million in recognition of his milestone achievement, reinforcing the importance of financial support for elite athletes .