China's Zhang Wenxiu broke her own Asian record en route to winning the women's hammer throw gold medal at the Asian Games on Friday.

 

Zhang, 20, unleashed a powerful throw of 74.15 meters at her penultimate attempt to eclipse the previous Asian mark of 73.24 meters, set by herself on June 24, 2005.

 

"The standard in Asian competitions is relatively low," Zhang said after the competition.

 

"I must continue to work hard so that I can produce my best performance at the 2008 Olympic Games. My next goal is to break the world record."

 

Her compatriot Gu Yuan, the defending Asian Games champion, took the silver medal with a throw of 65.13m. Japan's Aya Masumi grabbed the bronze medal with 62.67m.

 

Yuka Murofushi, the younger sister of Olympic men's hammer throw champion Koji Murobushi, came fourth at 59.74m. Murobushi pulled out of the Asian Games last week due to a nagging injury.

 

Zhang, one of China's medal prospects in the athletics events, the 2008 Olympic Games, was in a competition of her class throughout as each of her throws was good enough to take the title.

(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2006)