ALL THE NEWS, ACTION AND REACTION
By Paul Osborne and Nick Butler in Incheon
Click refresh for latest updates. All times stated are South Korean
22:30 As the final sport draws ever closing to its conclusion, Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa leads 2-0 in the final match, it's about time we wrapped up our blog for the evening.
After another thrilling day of action here in Incheon, with drama in the football, excellence in the athletics and sheer class in the badminton, it's time to restart the batteries in anticipation of more of the same tomorrow.
Before then, here are a few of the best images from today...
![North Korea celebrate a last minute goal in their semi-final encounter with South Korea ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/North_Korea_celebrate_a_last_minute_goal_in_their_semi-final_encounter_with_South_Korea_Getty_Images.jpg)
![Iran's Parviz Hadi Basmanj celebrates after defeating Kazakhstan's Daulet Shabanbay in the mens freestyle 125 kg wrestling final ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Irans_Parviz_Hadi_Basmanj_celebrates_after_defeating_Kazakhstans_Daulet_Shabanbay_in_the_mens_freestyle_125_kg_wrestling_final_Getty_Images.jpg)
![Gold medallist Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn celebrates after victory against Taiwan's Hsieh Su Wei and Chin Wei Chan during her tennis women's doubles final match with Luksika Kumkhum ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Gold_medallist_Thailands_Tamarine_Tanasugarn_celebrates_after_victory_against_Taiwans_Hsieh_Su_Wei_and_Chin_Wei_Chan_during_her_tennis_womens_doubles_final_match_with_Luksika_Kumkhum_Getty_Images.jpg)
![China's Lin Dan celebrates after defeating compatriot Chen Long in the men's singles badminton final ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Chinas_Lin_Dan_celebrates_after_defeating_compatriot_Chen_Long_in_the_mens_singles_badminton_final_Getty_Images.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The top seeds look to have been on dynamite form in the closing set as they defeat the top seeds in stunning fashion.
22:15 A brilliant comeback in the table tennis has seen Singapore level the score at 2-2
Ishikawa will go for Japan in this final fixture while Ye Lin, who lost to Fukuhara in the opening match, plays for Singapore.
22:06 As we wait for the tennis result to come in, why don't we give you a brief update on a couple of sports from earlier..
In the second men's handball semi-final, South Korea recorded a comfortable 27-23 victory over Bahrain to set up a finale with Qatar, who defeated Iran in the earlier fixture.
Chinese star Cui Qiuxia was right to talk of a China/South Korea final in the hockey as the hosts bested India 3-1 in the second women's semi-final.
There will also be a South Korea versus China final in the men's team table tennis contest after respective wins over Japan and Taiwan.
In the bowling, Singapore hold a 95 point lead in the women's team of five coming into the second block following a score of 3144 in block one.
South Korea are their closest rivals after an opening score of 3049 while Taiwan sit a further 54 points afield in fourth.
![Qatar recorded a 29-21 victory over Iran in the first men's handball semi-final ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Qatar_recorded_a_29-21_victory_over_Iran_in_the_first_mens_handball_semi-final_Getty_Images.jpg)
21:58 There are few sports left running as evening begins to engulf us here in Incheon.
A single gold medal is up for grabs (well technically two) as Taiwan and India go head to head in the tennis mixed doubles final. India's Sania Mirza and Saketh Sai Myneni have the lead in that one as they face Hsien Yin Peng and Hao Ching Chan.
The women's team table tennis semi-final between Indonesia and Japan is also ongoing with Japan leading two matches to one.
North beat South in all-Korean football semi-final
![North Korean flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/North_Korean_flag.png)
Fighting from a goal down, the North Korean side levelled through Yegyong Ri, before a 93rd minute goal from substitute Unbyol Ho seals their progressions to the women's final where they will meet Japan.
There were shouts and screams inside the media centre when that one went in, very few in delight, however.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The duo of Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, top seeds in this tournament, secure a 21-16, 21-14 scoreline against third seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia to take the gold medal.
The same two nations secured the bronze medals earlier in the week.
![Twitter logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Twitter_logo.png)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The two-time Asian champion was well on top of this encounter, running away with a 6-1 scoreline come the final bell to defeat the four-time Asian Championships bronze medallist.
Koungjin Nam makes it four medals out of four for South Korea as he defeats Mongolian wrestler Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan in the first playoff final, while ensures a second for Japan with a win over Syria's Raja Al Krad.
![Quote marks](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Quote_marks.jpg)
- Tamarine Tanasugarn reflects on a brilliant gold, although the result is slightly tinged with sadness as the player announces that this will be her last Games.
![Tamarine Tanasugarn celebrates her gold in the tennis doubles final in what will be her last Asian Games ©AFP/Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Tamarine_Tanasugarn_celebrates_her_gold_in_the_tennis_doubles_final_in_what_will_be_her_last_Asian_Games_Getty_Images.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Luksika Kumkhum and Tamarine Tanasugarn fought back from a set down to seal the win on a tiebreaker against Chan Chin Wei and Hsieh Su Wei.
A tough first set went in favour of the favourites as they pulled of a 7-5 victory. The Thai players improved vastly in the second as they flew to a 6-3 win before taking the tiebreaker 10-3.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Umidjon Ismanov added to Uzbekistan's growing medal tally as he secured one of the two bronze medals, with South Korea's Gwanuk Kim taking the other.
Qatari returns from doping ban to win final athletics event of evening
21:00 We mentioned Rashid Ramzi earlier, but Sudanese-born Kamal is another to have recently returned from a drugs ban. He won a 5000 metres and 3,000m steeplechase double at the 2011 Pan Arab Games, but tested positive for EPO soon after and was banned until January of this year.
A slightly salutary note to end the athletics on, but another entertaining evening. The star was Barshim, but some good middle distance races as well and a brilliant heptathlon victory for Uzbekistan.
Incidentally, some interesting comments earlier today from OCA honorary vice-president Wei Jizhong on athletes born outside Asia switching allegiance. He admitted it was something they have to focus on, but OCA director general, Hussain Al-Musallam, who spoke alongside him, seemed less bothered, saying it helps raise the standard of Asian sport. Read our article on this here: OCA honorary life vice-president warns of dangers of nations "buying" athletes
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Bahrain's Tareq Taher finished second with a time of 8:39.62 and India's Naveen Kumar finished took bronze in 8:40.39.
20:51 There was plenty else happening around the ground this evening. A more muted roar goes up as North Korea equalise in the football semi-final against South Korea, while China has taken the first game of the badminton mixed doubles final against Indonesia.
Zhang Nan and Zhou Yunlei, the reigning world and Olympic champions, winning it 21-16 in 24 minutes against 2013 world champions Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
![Maryan Jamal looking and composed en route to 1500m victory ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Maryan_Jamal_looking_and_composed_en_route_to_1500m_victory.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
20:36 Meanwhile, on the track we have just had the 4x100m relay heats, with South Korea and Japan the two heat winners. No Qatari team, which seems slightly strange considering their sprinting prowess. But the men's 3,000m steeplechase is underway, could that bring more success for the Gulf nation...Or will it have to be in the high jump?
20:34 But he has moved the bar up to 2.40m...
![Qatar flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Qatar_flag.gif)
20:24 In the men's high jump, there is only one man expected to win tonight, and it is the biggest name in Asian sport, Mutaz Essa Barshim. The Qatari was a fingertip shy of Cuban Javier Sotomayer's 21-year-old record of 2.45 metres at the Brussels Diamond League earlier this month, reaching 2.43m
"My goal is to beat the world record," he told AFP ahead of the Games. "I'm completely ready for the Asian Games. I will do my best to make this great achievement and create memories for Asia."
He won gold for years ago in Guangzhou, before taking a bronze at the London 2012 Olympics. But since then he has come on leaps and bounds (sorry!) winning a silver medal behind Ukrainian rival Bodan Bondarenko at the 2013 World Championships, and taking five victories on the Diamond League circuit the last two years.
![Mutaz Essa Barshim competing at the Birmingham leg of the Diamond League earlier this summer ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Mutaz_Essa_Barshim_competing_at_the_Birmingham_leg_of_the_Diamond_League_earlier_this_summer.jpg)
20:19 There are two other field events going on at the moment, the men's high jump and the women's discus. We will focus on the former in a moment, because it is one of the most highly anticipated events of the Games, but firstly the discus, and Seema Punia of India, runner-up at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this summer, is our leader.
She was in the lead with 59.36, but has now reached 61.03m for the lead. Two rounds left.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
20:15 I won't use the South Korean flag again so soon, but cheers have just come up in the Media Centre as their women's football team take a 1-0 lead over North Korea in the semi-final. A free-kick from Jung Seolbin goes straight into the net, with a bit of help from some slightly dodgy goalkeeping...
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
His victory this evening comes against Iran's 2013 World Championships silver medallist Ezzatollah Akbarizarinkolaei in the 74kg contest with a 3-2 scoreline tipping in his favour.
Bronze here fell to South Korea's Sangjyu Lee and India's Narsingh Pancham Yadav.
China and South Korea to meet in table tennis final
![Chinese flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Chinese_flag.png)
![South Korean flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/South_Korean_flag.png)
Lin Dan wins badminton gold
![Lin Dan celebrates badminton gold ©AFP/Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Lin_Dan_celebrates_badminton_gold.jpg)
19:59 What a moment as Lin Dan, proves yet again, that he is one of the great players of all time. Two Olympic singles titles, five World Championships ones, and a fourth Asian Games gold, following a singles and team double in Guangzhou and the team title four years earlier in Doha.
But it is the way he has performed with his back against the wall on so many occasions, winning when he has been written off, that makes him such a great. He has won this one the hard way, beating the world number one in the semi-final and then the world champion in the final. It was like the master and the apprentice today, and it was the master who came out on top. We will hopefully hear some quotes from him later, but there is also the mixed double to conclude the badminton programme later this evening.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The double Olympic champion and five-time world champion fell a set down to his team mate following a 21-12 opener. The defending champion hit straight back in the second, however, winning 21-16 to level the tie. The third set proved to the longest of the three as players battled for an edge. One came for Lin midway through the set as he powered to a 20-12 lead. Chen battled hard to keep his hopes of gold alive, pulling the score back to 20-16, before a smash from Lin tied up the victory.
A great display from two fine athletes but it was Lin who, again, came out on top at the crucial time.
![Masoud Esmaeilpoorjouybari wins the first wrestling gold of the evening ©AFP/Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Masoud_Esmaeilpoorjouybari_wins_the_first_wrestling_gold_of_the_evening.jpg)
Al Garni wins second gold of the Games
![Iraqi flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Iraqi_flag.png)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
That's a second gold medal of the Games for the Qatari after his 5,000m victory two days ago. I hope this doesn't come out wrong, but I am quite glad that Ramzi, one of the most notorious drugs cheats of recent years, didn't win today. And wonderful to see an Iraqi athlete win a bronze medal. A superb example of an athlete despite problems back home.
![Chinese flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Chinese_flag.png)
![Quote marks](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Quote_marks.jpg)
19:35 A brilliant performance by Jamal there. The two time world champion winning her fourth Asian Games title after sprinting away from her younger rival in a tactical race. Belete won the 5,000m title four years ago so was always less likely to have that big kick than her rival, very much a middle-distance specialist.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
![Japan celebrate scoring in the football ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Japan_celebrate_scoring_in_the_football.jpg)
![Japanese flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Japanese_flag.png)
Bahrain will face Iran for bronze.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The reigning Asian champion took silver at the World Champonships in Tashkent earlier this year, and did well to hold off a late charge by the man he beat in the Asian Championships in Astana. Bronze medals were won by South Korea's Suengchul Lee and Japan's Noriyuji Takatsuka.
19:10 A couple of tantalising 1,500m races to come in a few moments time. In the women's race, it should be Bahrain versus Bahrain. Mimi Belete who ran 4:00.08 earlier this year, will pit her wits against defending champion Maryam Jamal, while on the men's side, the most recognisable name is another Bahraini of African origin, Rashid Ramzi.
So more medals for Bahrain is the conclusion of that preview.
Uzbek wins gold in women's heptathlon
![Quote marks](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Quote_marks.jpg)
![Uzbekistan flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Uzbekistan_flag.png)
![Ekaterina Voronina celebrated gold along with compatriot Yuliya Tarasova ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Ekaterina_Voronina_celebrated_gold_along_with_compatriot.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
18:53 A brave run by Voronina of Uzbekistan, who hangs on to take the 800m in 2:21.21 ahead of Susmita Singha Roy of India.
18:45 The first heat of the women's 800m heptathlon final has drawn to a close as Tajikistan's Kristina Pronzhenko crosses the line first. Her time of 2:21.30 is a good one but the result will have little influence on the medals, with the athlete sat at the foot of the leaderboard.
Iran's Sepideh Tavakoly Nik finishes in second with four seconds behind the leader, but he too will have no chance to grab a medal.
The second heat is just about to begin with the leaders all ready to race. It's a tight tussle a the top for gold with Uzbekistan's Ekaterina Voronina taking a slender lead after the javelin.
She is only just ahead of China's Wang Qingling who dropped into second following a disappointing throw.
18:40 We're also underway in the men's badminton final where double Olympic champion Lin Dan faces world champion Chen Long.
This final ought to be a tasty encounter as two of China's best badminton players go head to head for the ultimate prize in Asian badminton.
Athletics action underway at the Main Stadium
18:35 We're underway in the athletics at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium. First up on the field is the men's high jump final while on the track it's the final event of the women's heptathlon - the 800m.
18:29 Qatar's handball team have booked a spot in the final of the men's competition after a convincing 29-21 victory over Iran.
Busy as they always are on the social medial, the Qatar Olympic Team twitter feed was quick to release this vine of the team's celebrations. A great win for the Qatari's who are having a brilliant last few days.
![Quote marks](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Quote_marks.jpg)
18:20 China have just recorded a 1-0 victory against Japan in a tightly contests women's hockey semi-final. It took until the fourth quarter for Wang Mengyu to break the deadlock in a brilliantly tense fixture at the Seonhak Hockey Stadium.
China have won the women's hockey title at the last three Asian Games, with Korea lifting the trophy four consecutive times beforehand.
Tennis gold for South Korea
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
18:05 We're into the semi-finals of the men's table tennis team competition where China and Japan, and Taiwan and South Korea, are battling for a place in the final.
China are 2-0 up in their encounter with Japan with Ma Long winning in straights games against Kenta Matsudaira, before Xu Xin beat Jun Mizutani 3-1.
South Korea are tied 1 apiece in their fixture with Taiwan after Saehyuk Joo gave the hosts the lead, only for Chuang Chih Yuan to level it up.
17:59 Following their success on the cricket pitch, South Korea are on course for just their second gold medal of the day as Hyeon Ching and Yongkyu Lim close in on victory in the men's tennis doubles final.
The duo snatched a 7-5 opening set from India's Saketh Sai Myneni and Sanam Krishan Singh, and have moved into a tiebreaker for the match.
The rain continues to fall in that match, but the players are battling on. Not for much long though, it seems.
![South Korea's Lim Yongkyu and Chung Hyeon sit under umbrellas as rain falls during their mens doubles final tennis match against India's Saketh Sai Myneni and Sanam Krishan Singh ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/South_Koreas_Lim_Yongkyu_R_and_Chung_Hyeon_L_sit_under_umbrellas_as_rain_falls_during_their_mens_doubles_final_tennis_match_against_Indias_Saketh_Sai_Myneni_and_Sanam_Krishan_Singh.jpg)
![Philip Barker](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Philip_Barker.jpg)
17:53 Sticking with the cricket for a minute and our trusty source on all things sport, Philip Barker, has thrown us a wonderful stat from back in England...
According to the man himself, Japan played at Lord's for the first time in 2013 and Hong Kong China were at Lords this summer.
Philip would know, of course, being a tour guide at the historic cricketing ground. He has also written a book on the ground, which you can see here...
17:46 There it is! This time it's a good ball. Some dodgy fielding still enables China to close to 82-7 but it wasn't enough to catch the Koreans. Great win and a great match.
17:43 Ohhh wait. That's not a great way to see out a match... Kim bowls wide and gives away a boundary on the final ball of the ninth over. Still hope here for China? It's 79-7.
17:40 South Korea are about to win their final cricket group stage match against China as Kyungsik Kim gets set to bowl the last ball with China at 75-7.
The Chinese have a had a good go at penetrating the impressive scoreline left by the South Korea, but unfortunately look like falling short.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Chen Aisen and Zhang Yanquan are the men to do it as they seal synchronised 10m platform gold with a score of 462.90.
South Korea come in second with a respectable 403.50 from Yeongnam Kim and Haram Woo while Malaysia's Yiwei Chew and Tze Liang Oii finish third on 384.90.
![Nick Butler](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Nick_Butler.jpg)
- Reporter Nick Butler is thoroughly enjoying the cricket match ongoing at the Yeonhui Cricket Ground at the minute.
Bowling update
17:10 We've talked very little about the bowling today so, obviously, it is time to correct that.
After the first block of the men's team of five contest, South Korea sit narrowly ahead following a total score of 3156. Jongwoo Park led the scoring for the hosts as he posted totals of 241, 223 and 202 for an average pinfall of 222.0.
Indonesia are right on their heels, however, as they sit just 79 behind on 3077. Islam Billy Muhammad has been an integral part of the team's success as he posted a superb average of 236, which included a match high 276.
Hong Kong round off the top three with a total score of 3055 after Yeung Wai Ki's leading average of 214.00.
China continue Asian Games diving dominance
17:01 That Chinese gold may have been the most "guaranteed" (if you can call it that) of the Games so far, apart from possibly Japanese wrestler Saori Yoshida's.
The reason? Well, since their introduction into the Games in 1974, when they replaced the Republic of China, better known as Taiwan or Chinese Taipei, the People's Republic of China, the one now known simply as China by most of the world, have won gold in every single diving event on offer at the Games.
That totals a whopping 60 of 60 gold medals in 40 years of competing at the Asian Games.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Make that two athletes from China as Shi Tingmao and Wu Minxia take top honours in the women's synchronised 3m springboard final with a score of 318.60 points.
That is 30.90 ahead of Malaysia's Jun Hoong Cheong and Yan Yee Ng in second and 44.28 clear of North Korea's Ungyong Choe and Jinok Kim, who seal the bronze.
![Shi Tingmao and Wu Minxia win gold in the women's synchronised 3m springboard ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Shi_Tingmao_and_Wu_Minxia_win_gold_in_the_womens_synchronised_3m_springboard_Getty_Images.jpg)
A small(ish) dose of cricket news...
![Twitter logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Twitter_logo.png)
16:43 A baseball-like stance from one of Koreans batsman adds a couple of additional runs with South Korea finishing on 88 for five.
This stance may be natural for the South Korean with the men's team banking on on professional baseball stars to convert home runs into sixes and boundaries at the Twenty20 competition in the Asian Games.
As many as seven of the 11 men that played in their eight wicket defeat to Malaysia on Saturday (September 27) came from baseball, which is a major passion here.
16:35 Nick and I once again find ourselves out of favour with the majority of journalists here in the newsroom as we flick the television over to the cricket.
South Korea and China are the two teams doing battle over at the Yeonhui Cricket Ground as we come to the final group match of the men's contest. The earlier match was, of course, decided by a coin toss as we so thoroughly covered earlier in the blog...
I have to say, this match maybe my highlight of the Games so far as Korea take to the bat first. A rather meaty 85-5 is the scoreline in one of the biggest "slugger" matches I've ever seen in the sport. Daesik Sung has led the main Korean charge after hitting 33 off just 16 balls before being stumped.
The Korean's were firmly in charge at 83 for two but have seen three wickets fall in three balls.
This was slightly expected after the game was reduced to just 10 overs due to the wet conditions.
The third wicket fall was met with huge jubilation from Chinese spin bowler Zhong Wenyi who sealed a hattrick to stop Korea recording an impregnable score.
Final Canoe/Kayak sprint gold
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Silver and bronze medallists from the 2010 Games, Natalya Sergeyeva and Irina Podoinikova, team up here to seal Kazakhstan's fifth gold medal in the water today.
Silver goes to Ren Wenjun and Ma Qing of China who led after the first 250, only to be caught and fall 0.599 behind the leaders.
Japan were well clear in third as they finished a little over two seconds behind the winners. Asumi Ohmura and Shiho Kakizaki did the honours for the Japanese.
Cycling update
16:21 We've got some cycling news to bring you now as information begins to feed back from the road.
It turns out that 22 of the 23 riders finished on the exact same time of 3:39:33 with Thailand's Jutapip Maneephan edging the sprint.
In all honesty, it doesn't look like any of the field really attacked this race with splits being similar across the board.
![Photo finish of the women's cycling road race ©Incheon2014](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Photo_finish_of_the_womens_cycling_road_race_Incheon.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The pair outperformed Thailand's Aditep Srichart and Kasemsit Borriboonwasin to secure the victory while Kazakhstan's Yevgeniy Alexeyev and Alexey Dergunov rounded off the podium in third.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
![Alexandr Dyachenko and Alexey Sidorenko of Kazakhstan celebrate en route to beach volleyball gold ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Alexandr_Dyachenko_and_Alexey_Sidorenko_of_Kazakhstan_celebrate_en_route_to_beach_volleyball_gold.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
15:49 Into the closing stages of the cycling now, with a few riders still in contention. We will bring you the result in a moment. But another gold medal to bring you first.
![Kuwait flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Kuwait_flag.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Canoe sprint and beach volleyball finals on day 10
![Kazakhstan flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Kazakhstan_flag.png)
Interestingly Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world that first competed at the Asian Games in 1994 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, has never finished outside of the top five in the medal table.
Sprint paddler Konstantin Negodyayev is the only Kazakh athlete to win five gold medals. At both the Hiroshima 1994 and Bangkok 1998 Games he won the C2 500m and C2 1000m, and also won the C1 500m in 1994, so it's no surprise to see them dominating that sport today.
Shooter Olga Dovgun won 11 medals in total between 1998 and 2010, a total that is only bettered by two other female athletes. Her haul includes two gold, four silver and five bronze medals.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
![Beach volleyball bronze medal match ©AFP/Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Beach_volleyball_bronze_medal_match.jpg)
15:18 The men's beach volleyball final in underway. Jiang Halike and Bao Jian have taken Chinese bronze already this afternoon after beating Indonesia opponents 2-0 in the third place playoff. It's China versus Kazakhstan in the final, the two canoeing powerhouses going head to head on the sand as well as in the water...
And it's Alexandr Dyachenko and Alexey Sidorenko who lead in the first game against Chen Cheng and Li Jian of China at the moment. Early stages though.
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
Her time of 40.638 edges out 500m winner Zhou Yu of China, while Arezou Hakimimoghaddam of Iran takes bronze.
Low ticket sales at Incheon 2014
15:07 Interestingly, I have just been talking to a local reporter, who believes the Games have done little to benefit the local area in the long-term. He is very keen to test my knowledge of Incheon and to ask me where I want to go in the city other than the venues. "Well...," I say, desperately thinking for inspiration. "I'm interested in history, so anything about the Korean War I would like to go to."
15:02 There have been a lot of comments about empty seats here at the Games, and Incheon 2014 have been defending the success of their ticket selling policies this morning.
![Quote marks](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Quote_marks.jpg)
![Empty seats at the athletics ©AFP/Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Empty_seats_at_the_athletics.jpg)
14:53 Into the concluding stages of the road race now, and we will bring you results as soon as we have it. But at 15:00 we have the resumption of canoeing finals and the men's beach volleyball final...
Chinese success and another coin toss in the cricket?
![Rain image](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Rain_image.jpg)
14:38 Chinese success also in softball, after a 9:2 win over Thailand in today's women's softball preliminary match 10, giving them their third win in four matches. After easily taking the lead with three runs in the first innings, China soon added one more to their tally.
Thailand was chasing China all the way and their two third innings runs did little to stem the tide with China adding five more runs in the fifth bringing the score to 9:2. With the game called, China finished with 7 hits and 9 runs with 1 home steal. Thailand settled with 3 hits, 2 runs and 2 errors.
![Chinese flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Chinese_flag.png)
Coin tosses in sport? Fact or myth?
![The pole vault podium at the Asian Games. Earle Meadows, Shuhei Nishida and Sueo Oe ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/The_pole_vault_podium_at_the_Asian_Games.jpg)
14:22 Now in the Olympics, there is a reported example from way back in Berlin 1936. In the pole vault, a US vaulter named Earle Meadows won the gold medal. The two who came in tied second and third were Shuhei Nishida and Sueo Oe, both of Japan, and according to several sources, when they came refused to jump-off against each other, Nishida was awarded silver after a jump-off. But other sources say this was not in fact the case, and that Nishida was chosen as winner by Japanese officials, by virtue of having less failures at lower heights, i.e. the same system used today in the case of a tie.
But neither vaulters were completely satisfied with the results. Being such good friends, when they arrived in Japan, they reportedly went to a local jeweler and had their gold and silver medals cut in half. They then paid the jeweler to solder one half of each into a pair of mixed medals, thus giving them equal halves of bronze and silver.
No wonder their two medals became known around the world as the "Medals of Eternal Friendship".
![Portland owes its name to a coin toss ©Wikipedia](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Portland_owes_its_name_to_a_coin_toss.jpg)
14:16 It seems to have happened a few time in football, as early as 1954 when Spain missed out on the World Cup after a 2:2 tie in a play-off match with Turkey. I wonder what the likes of Xavi, Ramos and Iniesta would say if that happened today... A reason to defend a penalty shootout maybe, the next team someone calls for that to be removed.
Beyond the world of sport, in 1845 the naming of the city of Portland, Oregon was decided by a coin toss.. Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, who owned the claim to the land that would later become Portland, each wanted to name their new town after their respective hometowns of Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine. Pettygrove prevailed in the coin flip, and the town was named Portland.
14:10 A break in the canoeing now until the next batch of finals get underway at 15:00. It gives a bit more time to reflect on the remarkable incident a few moments ago that saw a cricket match decided by a coin toss.
![Syrian flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Syrian_flag.jpg)
![Cyclists competing in the pouring rain in the road race ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Cyclists_competing_in_the_pouring_rain_in_the_road_race.jpg)
Kuwait beat Maldives in cricket...by the toss of a coin!
13:53 It's been a funny old tournament for Kuwait, that is sure. They managed a total of 20 all out in 14 overs against Nepal, leading to their opponents winning with 103 balls to spare! Now they have won, with, well, 240 balls to spare, because not a single one was bowled. They are through to face Bangladesh in the next match. To be perfectly honest, I am slightly worried for them there...
But it's the Maldives who deserve sympathy right now.
![Quote marks](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Quote_marks.jpg)
![Kuwait flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Kuwait_flag.jpg)
More success on the water for Kazakhstan
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
The eagle eyed among you will have noticed the name Yemelyanov for the fourth time this morning. We're not sure yet if he is related to Sergey, Mikhail and Timofey, but we will try and find out...
![Bangladesh flag](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Bangladesh_flag.jpg)
13:25 A quick cycling update, with almost an hour and a half gone. After two laps, the entire 23 woman field are still together. A bit disappointing that there are so few riders in this race. Solongo Tserenlkham of Mongolia leads the peloton through two laps.
China battling with Central Asia in canoeing
13:19 Just a reminder of the principal difference between K (kayaking) events and C (canoeing) ones. Kayaking involves a double bladed oar while the canoe just a single blade. So the picture on the left here is kayaking, the slightly faster of the two, while canoeing is on the right.
![Yevgeniy Alexeyev and Alexey Dergunov in the K2 1,000m canoe sprint ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Yevgeniy_Alexeyev_and_Alexey_Dergunov_in_the_K2_1000m_canoe_sprint.jpg)
![Zheng Pengfei and Wang Riwei in the C2 1000m canoe sprint ©Getty Images](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Zheng_Pengfei_and_Wang_Riwei_in_the_C2_1000m_canoe_sprint.jpg)
![Incheon 2014 gold medal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Incheon_2014_gold_medal.png)
South Korea and Kazakhstan take the two minor medals.
13:08 Of course, going back to rain, the frequent breaks in sports like cricket presents an extra challenge for the commentators, who have to fill the gaps by talking when nothing is going on. Fairly similar, to posting unrelated YouTube videos about European football on a blog on the Asian Games then...
Coin tossing in sport
13:04 Something to keep you entertained in the rain...Some highlights - no coin toss included, unfortunately - of that match. Some great goalkeeping here by Lev Yashin, considered by some the greatest keeper in the history of the game. Italy went on to beat Yugoslavia in the final...
![Coin tossing in sport](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Coin_tossing_in_sport.jpg)
12:55 Rain is, of course, a big part of the game of cricket, to the extent there is a system place for dealing with the rain (see 17:15 on our day seven live blog, on the Duckworth Lewis Method). In five day "Test-matches", many a side has scraped a lucky draw due to rain washing out several days of play.
Incidentally, coin tossing, which we mentioned earlier as a way in which this match the Kuwait/Maldives clash could be decided, is also a key part of the game, as the two captains toss a coin at the start of each match, with the winner deciding weather to bat or field first. And this is where the game gets technical, because the pitch, the conditions and how those are expected to change throughout the course of the contest, plays a key role... In August 2001, Nasser Hussain, the England captain at the time, lost the toss for the 14th successive time.
![Rain image](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Rain_image.jpg)
Central Asia getting the better of China in canoeing
12:43 Another example of a big name in the sport is Zhou Yu, who, in equally heartbreaking fashion, also finished fourth at London 2012, in the K2 500m on that occasion.