Japanese Hidemasa Sano overcame compatriot and Asian record holder Ken
Takakuwa for the men's 200m individual medley gold here on Wednesday at the
Asian Games.
Sano, finishing fifth in last year's world championships in Montreal, swam
stroke for stroke with Takakuwa before clinch the title in two
minutes 0.73 seconds.
"I came here to win," said the 22-year-old who pulled off the 400m IM gold
here on Tuesday.
"I know that Takakuwa was passing me, but in the last 50m I made it. From the
beginning I could swim my race and the last turn I began to believe I could
win," he said. "I will do the best and I want people to say that Sano is one of
the best."
Takakuwa, holding the Asian record in 1:59.81, was second in 2:01.03 before
Han Kyu Chul from South Korea in 2:02.56.
Han, taking four bronzes in as many events he competed in, said he was
disappointed.
"I'm disappointed. I expected the gold medal but I only got bronze," he said.
Han was third in 400m IM as well as 4x100m and 4x200m free relay.
