Team China’s duo Zou Jiaqi and Qiu Xiuping bag the first gold medal of the 19th Asian Games in women’s light-weight double sculls rowing on September 24, 2023. Photo: Cui Meng/GT

Team China bagged the first gold medal of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou  in the women's lightweight double sculls at Fuyang Water Sports Centre on Sunday, in less than 10 minutes after the start of the first match day.

Since the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, the Chinese delegation has claimed the first gold medal for six consecutive Asian Games over 20 years.

The Chinese duo of Zou Jiaqi and Qiu Xiuping finished well clear the other rowers, finishing at 7:06.78, about 10 seconds ahead of Team Uzbekistan in second, while Indonesia claimed the bronze medal.

Photo: Cui Meng/GT

Zou, 22, a Hangzhou local, shone in her  hometown. Qiu, 23, is from South China’s Guangdong Province.

After joining hands, they achieved a series of impressive results. In 2022, they finished second in this event at the World Rowing Cup in Belgrade. The pair have already qualified for the Paris Olympics through the 2023 Rowing World Championships.

In men’s lightweight double sculls, Chinese pair Fan Junjie and Sun Man bagged another gold medal for China.

Photo: Cui Meng/GT