'Emotional victory after 8 years' Ha Jimin reclaims top spot in yacht dinghy... Fourth gold medal run at the tournament [Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games]

*This content was translated by AI.

Ha Jimin (37, Haeundae District Office), a flagship figure of Korean yachting, achieved his fourth career gold medal run at the Asian Games, marking his fifth appearance at the multi-sport event.

Ha Jimin claimed the top spot with 9 points in the men's dinghy final race of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held on the 2nd at Kaiyo Yacht Harbor in Kamogori, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Ha Jimin, who has long served as a pillar of Korean yachting, reclaimed the top position for the first time in eight years. This was the 31st gold medal news from the South Korean delegation at this tournament.

He achieved a three-peat in the single-handed dinghy Laser class, winning consecutive titles from the 2010 Guangzhou Games 16 years ago to the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games.

Three years ago in Hangzhou, he had to swallow his disappointment. While holding second place through the 11th race, he aimed for a late-stage comeback, but the competition was canceled before the 12th race due to a lack of wind severe enough to proceed with the event, leaving him to settle for the silver medal.

Yacht dinghy events are conducted by holding a total of nine races in the opening series, assigning points (penalty points) based on rankings. The first-place finisher receives 1 point, and the second-place finisher receives 2 points, with the athlete having the fewest penalty points ultimately declared the winner. In the medal race, points are doubled compared to previous races.

Based on the opening series results, the top 10 athletes with the lowest penalty points advance to the final, where two races are held. Ha Jimin, who passed through the preliminaries in first place, maintained his lead by defeating Nicholas Beji Holiday (Hong Kong) in the final, securing the gold medal. The bronze medal went to Kairulnizam Mohd Apandi (Malaysia).

Kim Chang-ju and Lee Kyung-jin (both from Yeosu City Hall) earned a silver medal with a total score of 20 points in the mixed dinghy event. South Korea successfully hunted for medals for the second consecutive time in the mixed dinghy, finishing second with a total score of 20 points, following their bronze medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Games.

The Kim Chang-ju and Lee Kyung-jin pair demonstrated consistent performance without significant fluctuations throughout the 10th races held, maintaining their position within the top three to secure the silver medal. Japan (15 points) took first place, while China (29 points) claimed third.

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*This content was translated by AI.