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Singapore, China grab most sailing golds at Doha Asiad
14/12/2006 10:22

Singapore took five out of 14 gold medals in the sailing competition of the 15th Asian Games at Doha, ranking first in the medal standings of the sport.

On Wednesday, Singapore's sailors placed first in the men's 420class, the women's 420 class and the match racing of Beneteau First Class 7.5 event after the final races.

"I feel wonderful," Singaporean sailor Tan Sarah Wei Lin, skipper in the women's 420 class, said Wednesday at Doha Sailing Club.

Tan's teammate Liu Xiaman Justin and Cheng Feng Yuan Shermon won the men's 420 event on Wednesday.

Liu said he felt good in striking gold in his Asian Games debut.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Singaporean team won the men's Laser standard and the Laser 4.7 open class.

Commenting on the sailors from his country, Liu Xia Man said, "The whole team is very strong. We are united as a team."

"We came together. We won together," Liu added.

Singapore's sailors also took three silvers and two bronzes in sailing.

It's the first time that Singapore got so many sailing medals at a single Asian Games.

Meanwhile, Chinese sailors claimed four titles in the men's Mistral heavy, the women's Mistral, the men's Optimist and the Laser Radial open classes.

"Our athletes have made great achievements, overcoming disadvantages caused by the bad weather, " Qi Jianguo, China's team coach, told Xinhua Monday evening after the victory ceremony for the three Mistral events.

As the only female sailor in the Laser Radial open class, Chinese Xu Lijia emerged as a winner on Tuesday.

"I'm very proud of myself that I won the gold in the competition against male sailors," said Xu.

Ni Wei from China ranked first in the men's Optimist class on Tuesday, bringing China's sailing gold medals to four.

Earlier on Monday, China's Chen Lina won the women's Mistral class and her teammate Yao Xinhao claimed the men's Mistral heavy class title.

The other five gold medals went to Japan, Hong Kong of China, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia.



Xinhua News