China claimed 22 more gold medals on day 4 of the 15th Asian Games, bringing their gold tally to 60, but a sepaktakraw bronze medal was rated by many as more precious than any of the golds.?

The Chinese women's sepaktakraw team, comprised of college and high school students and primary school teachers, lost to defending champions Thailand 1-2 to win a rare bronze medal. This was only the second medal in the sport, after the silver they took in the Busan Asiad four years ago.

Sepaktakraw is a game traditionally played in Southeast Asia and is a medal event since the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. Points are scored by hitting the ball above the net and into the court as the opposing players attempt to block.

Liu Peng, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, chose to watch the semifinal match of the non-Olympic event, instead of traditionally strong events for China such as judo, shooting, table tennis or badminton.

Chinese sharpshooters continued to control the competition, taking seven out of 10 gold medals, increasing their shooting gold medals to 19. South Korea won two and Kazakhstan grabbed one.

China's pair Ding Junhui and Tian Pengfei demolished Marco Fu Ka Chun and Chan Wai Ki of Hong Kong by 3–1 (64–66, 102–2, 72–37, 126–7) to claim the men's snooker doubles gold medal.

In the swimming pool, arch-rivals China and Japan took three gold medals apiece while South Korea sneaked one through up-and-coming star Park Tae Hwan from the seven swimming finals.

Xu Yanwei, five-gold winner four years ago in Busan, swam to victory in the women's 50m freestyle, launching her second bid for five golds.

In the swimming medal table, China stands tall with 12 golds, 14 silvers and five bronzes while Japan ranks second with 10 golds, 11 silvers and 11 bronzes. South Korea is third with two golds, one silver and seven bronzes.

Athens Olympic champion Zhang Ning led China to a 3-0 victory over Japan to retain the women's badminton team title, the first gold medal for the sport in Doha and the eighth women's badminton team gold for China in the Asian Games.

Zhang, 31 and ranked No. 1 in the world, beat Japanese top singles shuttler Kaori Mori 21-13 and 21-15 in the opening match. Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen, double winners at the Athens Olympic Games, progressed after knocking out Kumiko Ogura and Reiko Shiota 21-8, 21-15. Two-time world champion Xie Xingfang sealed the victory with an effortless win over Eriko Hirose 21-12, 21-15.

The men's badminton team title also went to China, although they had a tougher time of it. Defending champions South Korea made China work for a 3-2 victory. Lin Dan, nicknamed "Super Dan", could not oust a gritty world championships semi-finalist Lee Hyun Il, losing the opening game 20-22, 21-11, 13-21.

World doubles number one Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng got China back on track by knocking out Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung 21-19, 21-14, before Asian Games rookie Chen Jin came from one set down to beat Park Sung Hwan 18-21, 21-6 and 21-11.

Although the second doubles pair Zheng Bo and Guo Zhendong failed to hold back Lee Jae Jin and Hwang Ji Man, an in-form Bao Chunlai smashed past Shon Seung Mo 21-9, 21-8 to anchor China's win.

Chinese cyclists opened their gold medal account on Monday through Li Meifang and Song Baoqing. Li was crowned in the women's individual time trial, while underdog Song Baoqing won the men's individual time trial.

A big shock took place in the gymnastics competition, China's Xiao Qin, nicknamed "Pommel King", fell from the pommel horse after losing balance and lost the title.

Xiao, the top qualifier and the reigning world champion, fell down after a series of outstanding swaying and Thomas action. But his left hand slipped on the horse to cost him the most coveted gold medal.

The pommel horse event produced three gold medals in one event with Japan's Hiroyuki Tomita for the second time in his career, tying for gold along with Kim Soo Myun of South Korea and Jo Jong Chol of?North Korea.

Zou Kai led a one-two Chinese finish in the men's floor, with Liang Fuliang taking the silver and Kim Soo Myun of North Korea the bronze.

World champion Chen Yibing and Yan Wei, both of China, shared the rings gold with 16.575 points. Timur Kurbanbayev of Kazakhstan took the bronze.

In the women's apparatus finals, world champion Cheng Fei of China lived up to her reputation on the vault with a gold medal. Hong SuJong of?North Korea broke up the Chinese monopoly in the women's uneven bars, winning with 15.525 points.

China also claimed golds from judo and weightlifting to boost their lead in the medal standings with 59 golds, 31 silvers and 13 bronze, bringing their medal total to 103. Japan was second with a17-20-25 record with South Korea third with 13-17-32.?

Elsewhere, the all-mighty Chinese table tennis team suffered its first casualty at the Asian Games as the mixed doubles duo Ma Long and Guo Yan were ousted at the quarter-finals.

(Xinhua News Agency December 6, 2006)