India, Macao of China and Chinese Taipei picked up their first gold medals at the Guangzhou Asian Games on November 14 while Chinese weightlifter Li Ping became the first athlete to break world record after two days' competition.

China continued to see more gold medals pour in, collecting 17 to raise its tally to 37. South Korea is second with 13 and Japan followed with eight.

Veteran Wushu player Jia Rui made history to win the first gold medal at the 16th Asian Games for Macao by scoring 9.8 points in the Daoshu/Gunshu all round format, a new event in Guangzhou.

"I didn't expect to win and I just told myself not to make mistakes," Jia said. "It's so lucky for me to win the first gold for Macao. The winning means we are on a new stage of sports now."

Macao had won five silvers medals and 10 bronzes medals since its debut at the Beijing Asian Games in 1990.

India won its first gold of the Games when Pankaj Advani won Nay Thway Oo of Malaysia 3-2 in Men's English Billiards.

Chinese Taipei also tasted their first gold in Guangzhou as Lin Ting-Chung and Liu Chia-Lun dethroned defending champions Shiego Nakahori and Tsuneo Takagawa of Japan to win the Men's Soft Tennis.

The 22-year-old Li won the Women's 53kg Weightlifting category after breaking an eight-year-old record when she lifted 103kg in the snatch, then lifted 127 in the clean and jerk to earn the world record total of 230kg.

"The snatch world record is a surprise since I am not good at it, but breaking the total world record is in our plan," Li said.

Li's gold medal was China's fourth in Weightlifting from as many finals at Guangzhou. But the day's biggest star was from the pool, Park Tae-Hwan of South Korea became the only non-Chinese to win a swimming gold medal.

Park, dubbed "Marine Boy" in his country, took the Men's 200m Freestyle gold and broke his own Asian record in 1:44.80.

The Olympic 400m Freestyle gold medalist, who won three gold medals four years ago in Doha, is also scheduled to compete in the 100m, 400m and 1,500m Freestyle races plus Team Relay.

"I'm satisfied with the performance because I broke my record," said Park. "China is a special place for me... I won a gold medal, my first Guangzhou Asian Games gold." added Park.

"There are still more events to swim, so I hope to do my best."

China won all the other five swimming gold medals plus three silvers and two bronzes, leaving arch rivals Japan to have only three silver and two bronze medals in a miserable night.

Zhao Jing, world champion of the Women's 50m Backstroke at the 2009 Rome world championships, won the 200m Backstroke.

China's 14-year-old Ye Shiwen rose to the occasion by winning the Women's 400m Individual Medley in 4:33.79, more than four seconds clear of better-known compatriot Li Xuanxu.

"This is the first time that I have won a gold medal at such a big event, so it means a lot to me and my family," she said.

Japan's Kosuke Kitajima, a four-time Olympic champion in the 100m and 200m Breaststroke, finished in equal fourth in the 50m final.

South Korea had a big day by winning nine gold medals, including a clean sweep of four events at the shooting fields. Two of them were won by eight-month pregnant Gim Yun-Mi.

"My baby and I brought home the gold medals together," said Gim. "The baby kept me calm and relaxed."

On the Cycling Track, Jang Sun-Jae also became South Korea's legend after winning his fourth Asian Games career title.

Japan, fighting for the second place against South Korea on the medal table, took only four gold medals on November 14, with two from their native sport Judo.

Elsewhere, Chinese women gymnasts completed the hosts' sweep of team titles for a consecutive 10th time in the 16th Asian Games. Their men's counterparts won the title on November 14.

(GAGOC November 14, 2010)