(LEAD) (Asiad) Pentathlete Seong Seung-min wins S. Korea's 1st gold at Asian Games
(ATTN: ADDS more detains in paras 2, 4-13, new photos, byline)
By Kim Boram
ANJO, Japan, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Seong Seung-min brought home South Korea's first gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, winning the women's individual modern pentathlon event.
Seong finished first with 1,492 points in the sport's final after competing in five events -- fencing, swimming, obstacle course racing and laser run, a combination of running and shooting -- at Anjo Sports Park in Anjo, just southeast of the main host city of Nagoya, Japan.
She became the first South Korean female pentathlete to win the individual event, ending China's streak of four consecutive gold medals.
South Korea's Seong Seung-min crosses the finish line during the final of the women's modern pentathlon at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Anjo Sports Park in Anjo, just southeast of the main host city of Nagoya, on Sept. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)
The silver medal went to Zhang Mingyu of China and bronze to Wu Xiyao of China.
Her compatriot Kim Un-ju ranked seventh with 1,399 points and Shin Su-min 12th with 1,380 points.
Led by Seong's gold medal performance, South Korea finished second in the team event, following China.
In the team event, scores of the top three athletes from a country are combined to determine the rankings.
South Korea's Seong Seung-min performs during laser run at the final of the women's modern pentathlon at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Anjo Sports Park in Anjo, just southeast of the main host city of Nagoya, on Sept. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)
As a former world champion and an Olympic bronze medalist, Seong was considered a strong gold medal contender for the women's modern pentathlon.
She won the 2024 World Modern Pentathlon Championships to become the first South Korean woman to win a world title in the event. At the Paris Summer Olympics later that year, she became the first Asian female pentathlete to win an Olympic medal.
In the final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Seong led from start to finish.
She took first place in fencing to earn 250 points, and added 358 points in the obstacle course, finishing fourth in 29.26 seconds.
Her lead remained intact after she added 295 points in the 100-meter freestyle, touching the pad in 1:01.14.
Starting the final laser run in first place, Seong held off the other athletes to cross the finish line first.
South Korea's Seong Seung-min performs during obstacle course racing in the final of the women's modern pentathlon at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Anjo Sports Park in Anjo, just southeast of the main host city of Nagoya, on Sept. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)
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