China top 200 medals, Malaysia move up to 10th in Asian Games

KUALA LUMPUR: China surpassed the 200-medal mark at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games today, while Malaysia reached their pre-Games target of six gold medals on Day 8.

China reached 118 gold, 48 silver, and 38 bronze medals for a 204-medal haul.

Their 118 golds exceed the combined total of the next four nations: hosts Japan (37), South Korea (20), Uzbekistan (10), and Kazakhstan (9), who have 76 golds combined.

The result also secured China's 10th consecutive Asian Games with 100 or more gold medals, a streak dating back to Beijing 1990.

Japan are second with 37 gold, 60 silver, and 57 bronze (154 overall), with South Korea in third (20-23-39) ahead of Uzbekistan (10-17-11) and Kazakhstan (9-10-21).

Malaysia moved into 10th place with 16 medals (six gold, two silver, eight bronze), hitting its pre-Games target of six golds with a week of competition remaining.

The sixth gold was won on the squash court by world No. 5 S. Sivasangari, who beat India's Anahat Singh 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 in the women's final.

Earlier, defending champion Ng Eain Yow won the fifth gold by beating India's Abhay Singh 11-9, 11-5, 11-5.

Their victories added to earlier golds won by karatekas Adeola Fay Robert and Shahmalarani Chandran, eSports star Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira, and the men's sepak takraw team regu.

Diving added a silver through Enrique Maccartney Harold-Elvis Priestly Clement, and a bronze through Ong Ker Ying-Lee Yiat Qing.

Within Southeast Asia, Thailand lead in sixth overall on 9-7-10, with Malaysia second among Asean contingents in 10th.

Indonesia is 14th with two gold, five silver, and 17 bronze medals, followed by Singapore in 15th (2-5-3) and the Philippines in 16th (2-2-8).