Zhang sets record as China continues to dominate gold medals at Sanya Asian Beach Games

China's gold medal tally continued to soar at the Asian Beach Games, as marathon swimming specialist Zhang Ziyang won the men's open water 5km final with a dazzling performance off the coast of Sanya on Sunday.

The talented long-distance swimmer, who previously claimed the 10km titles at both the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and last year's National Games, found himself in a neck-and-neck contest against two fierce Vietnamese rivals in Hainan Province.

The tension climaxed in the final stretch, with the 25-year-old emerging victorious in a time of 53:46.0, a new Asian Beach Games record. Nguyen Huy Hoang settled for silver, trailing 7.2 seconds behind, while Mai Tran Tuan Anh ended up with bronze. Zhang's triumph marked China's second gold in open water swimming at the sixth edition of the continental competition.

Other events included China's dragon boat teams showcasing their skills, clinching gold in the men's 400m grand final in a time of 1:34.990. Thailand followed closely behind to pick up silver, while the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) came away with bronze.

The Chinese women's team mirrored this success of their counterparts, finishing first in their 400m grand final as well, after clocking in at 1:48.899, ahead of Thailand and Vietnam.

Overall, the Chinese delegation captured five of the six available golds in the dragon boat events, setting a new record for a single edition of the Asian Beach Games.