Nagoya, Sept. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese runner Ichitaka Yamashita won the men’s marathon gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday, while 11-year-old Yuki Kurihara, Japan’s youngest delegation member, topped an esports event. Yamashita clocked 2 hours, 10 minutes, 49 seconds to claim the country’s first men’s marathon medal in two Games. “I felt intense pressure because I was aiming for victory. I’m delighted,” Yamashita said. In the women’s marathon, Mikuni Yada won bronze despite an accident. She was born in Kumamoto Prefecture, where a major earthquake struck in late July. “I’ve heard people close to me are living as evacuees. I hope my performance can give them even a little courage,” she said before the race. In esports, Kurihara won the competition to play the esports version of Puyo Puyo, a Japanese puzzle video game. “I’m super happy,” said the elementary school boy, who is also active as a professional player. Japanese fencers took gold in the women’s foil team event, while the men’s sabre team ended second. In diving, the pair of Senri Ikuma and Haruki Suyama earned silver in the men’s synchronized springboard event, Japan’s best finish in the event. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
