NAGOYA -- South Korea won the gold medal in the men's kayak four 500-meter race at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Thursday, bringing home the country's first gold in canoe sprint at the competition.
The team of Cho Gwang-hee, Kim Hyo-bin, Jang Sang-won and Choi Min-kyu finished the race in 1:22.587 in the final of the men's kayak four 500m event at Miyoshi Lake Canoe Course in Miyoshi, just east of the main host city of Nagoya.
It was South Korea's first gold medal in canoe sprint and ninth overall at the competition.
South Korea edged out China by 0.255 seconds, with Japan finishing 3.322 seconds behind the champions.
The South Korean quartet crossed the 250-meter mark in 40.44 seconds to take the lead. They battled neck and neck with China through the rest of the race but held onto the lead through the finish.
In Heat 2, held the previous day, South Korea finished first in 1:25.383 to advance to the final.
Canoe sport comprises two disciplines -- canoe sprint and canoe slalom -- with kayak events contested in both.
