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Japan, China split first three golds on snow
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-01-30 09:13

Japan and China had to tussle against each other to split three gold medals on offer on the first match day of snow sports in the 6th Asian Winter Games on Monday at the Beidahu ski resort, Jilin city.

China began strongly as veteran biathlete Liu Xianying led an unstoppable Chinese charge to complete a clean sweep of the top three at the women's 7.5km sprint, beating defending champion Tamami Tanaka from Japan to a disappointing fouth place.

Yet powerhouse Japan, topping the final medal tally three times in the past five Winter Asiad, clawed back effectively as they overcame the Chinese counterparts to win the two remaining golds of the day on snow.

Shiho Nakashima led a 1-2 finish for Japan in the women's halfpipe snowboard skiing before Hidenori Isa stormed to the other biathlon title in the men's 10km sprint event, surprising all with a clean sheet in shooting leg on a windy and snowy day.

In the women's halfpipe, China's Liu Jiayu was beaten to a third place while Zhang Chengye and Zhang Qing had to settle for the silver and bronze medals respectively behind Japanese Isa in the men's biathlon.

The Chinese women's trio of Liu Xianying, Kong Yingchao and Dong Xue raced to the top three at the 7.5km sprint, presenting the most absorbing competition of the day.

"The weather conditions are so difficult, the wind was strong and changing in degree all the time, it is hard to have control especially in the shooting leg," said Klaus Siebert, head coach of the Chinese biathlon team. "And all the athletes had problems with the low temperature."

"But my athletes just shoot good, ski good, and they stayed cool and mentally strong," the German added.

The Japanese opponents also paid tributes to the Chinese skiers.

"The Chinese athletes made great progress in recent years, they are catching up with the top biathletes," said Atsushi Kazama, manager of the Japanese biathlon team.

In women's halfpipe snowboard, Japan had no trouble in finishing one-two, with Nakashima's teammate Soko Yamaoka in second place.

Japan only sent two skiers for the women's halfpipe snowboard.