GUANGZHOU, China (Kyodo) Ryo Tateishi upstaged compatriot and double Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima to win the men's 100-meter breaststroke gold medal at the Asian Games on Monday, while Ryosuke Irie triumphed in the men's 200 backstroke final.
Tateishi touched the wall in 1 minute, 00.38 seconds to finish ahead of Kazakhstan's Vladislav Polyakov (1:01.03) and China's Wang Shuai (1:01.71). A rusty-looking Kitajima placed fourth in 1:01.85.
"I felt I had a good swim and am honestly delighted," said Tateishi, who finished second in the non-Olympic 50-meter breaststroke on Sunday. "I gained good momentum right after the start and I got my tactics right."
Kitajima admitted he was off the pace and hoped for a better swim in the 200.
"That was no good," said Kitajima. "I have still got the 200. I don't know whether I can tune up well and have a good race but I just want do as well as I can."