Chinese veteran boxers clinch maiden Asiad golds

Yang Wenlu of China celebrates winning Women's 57-60Kg Final of Boxing at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

HANGZHOU, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese veteran boxers Li Qian and Yang Wenlu clinched their maiden Asiad gold medals respectively at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Wednesday.

Having lost to India's Lovlina Borgohain in the semifinals of the World Championships in March, Li underlined her offense in the women's 75kg final and gradually got the bout under control en route to a unanimous decision win over her opponent.

"I have been training hard in the past nine years and participating in all kinds of competitions," said Li, silver medalist of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. "It has been a long tough journey for me to finally win gold."

The 33-year-old has set her sights high on her third Olympic Games in Paris, aiming to convert her silver in Tokyo to a gold.

"I'm more stable and mature mentally. I also have a higher standard for myself," added Li, who also captured a bronze at the Rio Olympics.

Yang, who finished fifth at the Jakarta Asian Games, established a solid advantage in the first two rounds to defeat Won Un Gyong of DPR Korea on unanimous decision in the women's 60kg final.

"Thank you, Hangzhou, I have well experienced the passion of the city," said the 32-year-old, adding that her secret to victory is to treat every training session with 100 percent effort and self-discipline.

China's Chang Yuan, who was crowned in the women's 51kg with a victory over DPR Korean boxer Pang Chol Mi in Jakarta five years ago, faced the same opponent in the 54kg category here on Wednesday. She outperformed Pang in the first round but was overcome in the following two rounds, settling for the silver on split decision.

"I was probably thinking too much. I was more eager for gold at my second Asiad," Chang reflected on her loss. "I should have focused on the bout itself, on how to land punches in each round."

"We were rivals in the ring, but we could be friends outside. Pang is an excellent opponent, I admire her," she added.

Among other Chinese boxers who made their appearances on Wednesday, Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan and Yang Liu powered into the men's 80kg and the women's 66kg finals respectively on split decision, while Lyu Ping fell short in the men's 57kg semifinal.

Chinzorig Baatarsukh of Mongolia and Sewonrets Okazawa of Japan won the men's 63.5kg and 71kg finals respectively.

The boxing competition of the Hangzhou Asian Games will conclude on Thursday, with six more gold medals up for grabs.