NAGOYA - Japan's Asuma Nakai won the men's cycling BMX racing final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, successfully defending his title, while Sae Hatakeyama claimed the women's gold.
Nakai beat compatriot Hyoga Kiuchi, who took silver, and China's Lin Haochao, who won bronze, at Nagoya Velodrome BMX Race Course.
"Winning a medal at the Olympics (in Los Angeles in 2028) is something that I look forward to," the 26-year-old said at a news conference.
"However, my focus is more on one race at a time and doing well at each race, because that's going to lead me to the Olympics. That's what I will be working on."
Hatakeyama, who missed the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou due to injury, finished ahead of China's Liao Wanyi and Indonesia's Jasmine Azzahra Setyobudi, who took silver and bronze, respectively.
"The fact that this was held in my home country is what's special. I am very happy to win a gold medal here," the two-time Olympian said.
In athletics, Japan secured two golds both with new games records.
Games debutant Ryuji Miura won the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 8 minutes, 17.36 seconds, edging compatriot Ryoma Aoki by 0.24, bringing the host its first gold in the event in 28 years.
"There's a sense of fulfillment that I gave my all. It was a very good result," said Miura, who held on for the win after Aoki closed the gap on the final lap.
Kazuto Iizawa topped the men's 1,500 in 3:36.35, usurping Gulveer Singh of India in the final stretch to win by 0.37.
"I'm happy and relieved. The spurt was thanks to the big cheer I got from the crowd," said Iizawa, who lost four kilograms over the summer due to fatigue and a sprained ankle from two weeks ago.
