Hong Kong rower Chiu Hin-chun wins lightweight single sculls gold at Asian Games
Thestandard · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong rower Chiu Hin-chun clinched gold in the lightweight men's single sculls final at the 20th Asian Games on Thursday, September 24. The 31-year-old overcame a sluggish first half to power past competitors in the final stretch, finishing in six minutes and 50.32 seconds. The victory completed his medal set across three consecutive Asian Games, having previously won silver and bronze.
Key Points
- Chiu Hin-chun finished first in the lightweight men's single sculls final at the 20th Asian Games with a time of 6:50.32
- The Hong Kong veteran tracked second for the first 1,000 metres, trailing Uzbekistan's Firdavs Akhunov by 0.63 seconds
- Chiu made his decisive move with 500 metres remaining, overtaking Akhunov who ultimately dropped out of medal contention
- Iran's Amirhossein Mahmoodpour Shahrestani took silver in 6:52.59, while South Korea's Park Hyun-su earned bronze
- Hong Kong's rowing squad finished the day with one gold and two silver medals overall
- Chiu will receive HK$1 million through the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme
Why It Matters
Chiu's gold marks Hong Kong's fourth gold medal of the Games and represents the city-state's first victory in this specific rowing category . The achievement underscores Hong Kong's growing competitiveness in water sports while providing a cash boost for the athlete through the Jockey Club programme, which has been instrumental in supporting elite sports development.
Chiu's gold marks Hong Kong's fourth gold medal of the Games and represents the city-state's first victory in this specific rowing category . The achievement underscores Hong Kong's growing competitiveness in water sports while providing a cash boost for the athlete through the Jockey Club programme, which has been instrumental in supporting elite sports development.