NAGOYA, Japan — China’s Zhang Zhanshuo became the first swimmer to win seven gold medals at a single Asian Games on Friday, taking the men’s 400 metres freestyle title on the final night of swimming at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
The 19-year-old clocked three minutes, 41.28 seconds to add his seventh gold. He had already won the 200m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle titles as well as three relay golds.
His haul surpassed the six golds won by China’s Zhang Yufei at Hangzhou 2022 and Japan’s Rikako Ikee at Jakarta 2018.
Only North Korean shooter So Gil San, who won seven golds and one silver at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, has won more medals at a single edition.
“The Asian Games is not the goal. I’m still aiming for the Olympics and competing with the best,” Zhang said.
China finished the swimming programme with 30 gold medals from 41 events, while hosts Japan won seven.
The competition also highlighted a new generation of swimmers. China’s 13-year-old Yu Zidi won three gold medals, while Japan’s 17-year-old Shin Ohashi claimed the men’s 200m breaststroke title in a world record.
Qin Haiyang, 27, retained his 50m breaststroke title, beating Ohashi to gold, while Zhang Yufei won the women’s 50m butterfly for her fourth gold of the Games. Ikee took bronze in the event.
Zhang’s seven-gold haul capped a record-breaking swimming campaign for China at the Asian Games, while the performances of younger swimmers added to the competition’s list of notable results.
