(Asiad) Choe Byeong-kwang wins race walk bronze for S. Korea's 1st athletics medal in Nagoya
NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea picked up its first athletics medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Wednesday, as Choe Byeong-kwang took bronze in the men's half marathon race walk.
Choe finished third with a time of 1:28:35 at Aichi-Nagoya Race Walking Course in Nagoya, central Japan. Shi Shengji of China won the gold medal in 1:23:32, and Toshikazu Yamanishi of Japan claimed silver in 1:28:01.
This was Choe's fourth Asian Games appearance but his first medal at age 35.
Choe Byeong-kwang of South Korea celebrates with the national flag, Taegeukgi, after winning bronze in the men's half marathon race walk event at the Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya Race Walking Course in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 23, 2026, in this Reuters photo. (Yonhap)
"I felt so happy to win this medal and also became emotional, because this could be my last Asian Games," Choe said in a statement released by the Korea Association of Athletics Federations. "I believe younger athletes will post even better results in the future."
Choe was in fourth place through the first 6 kilometers of this 21.0975 km race. He climbed to fourth at the 7 km mark and moved into third with about 9 km left, eventually hanging on to take the bronze medal.
This was the first day of athletics at the ongoing Asian Games.
Choe Byeong-kwang of South Korea competes in the men's half marathon race walk event at the Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya Race Walking Course in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 23, 2026, in this Reuters photo. (Yonhap)
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