China’s Xu Jiayu also won his second gold medal of the meet, this time taking out the 50 back at 24.75. Xu won the 100 back last night and has set himself up for a hat trick in the three backstroke events as the Chinese man won China’s first Asian Games gold medal in the 50 back with his swim on Monday night in Jakarta.
The 50 back has only been contested at these Games three times but every single time thus far had been won by Japan’s Junya Koga. Without him in the field in 2018, the race was wide open for someone to take the crown and Xu pounced on it. He finished just ahead of Japan’s Ryosuke Irie, who was going for four straight. Irie won the silver at 24.88 and Korea’s Kang Jiseok was bronze at 25.17.
China’s Wang Peng (25.28) finished off the podium in fourth.
The Indonesian crowd was cheering loudly for home favorite Gede Sudartawa, who was the top seed after prelims. He was perhaps Indonesia’s best chance to win a medal in swimming at these Games but he ended up fifth in the final at 25.29.
Singapore’s Zheng Quah (25.53), Korea’s Lee Juho (25.59) and Turkmenistan’s Merdan Atayev (25.88) also competed in the final.
- Xu Jiayu, CHN, 24.75
- Ryosuke Irie, JPN, 24.88
- Kang Jiseok, KOR, 25.17
- Wang Peng, CHN, 25.28
- Gede Sudartawa, INA, 25.29
- Zheng Quah, SIN, 25.53
- Lee Juho, KOR, 25.59
- Merdan Atayev, TKM, 25.88
Congratulations! Happy birthday to Xu Jiayu!