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29 March 2024

Tempers fray as more crashes mar Asian Games cycling

Uzbekistan's Vadim Shaekhov (L) and South Korea's Cho Ho-sung crash during the men's points race finals at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. (REUTERS)

Published
By Reuters

An Uzbek track cyclist at the Asian Games tried to kick his South Korean rival after they collided and crashed to the floor in the men's points race.

Cho Ho-sung, who took gold in the event at his home Busan Games in 2002, rolled off the track with Uzbekistan's Vadim Shaekhov in a tangle of bikes and bodies at Guangzhou Velodrome after attempting to avoid another crash further ahead.

Cho shoved Shaekhov's bike from his, which angered the Uzbek, who swung a kick at the South Korean but missed.

Shaekhov blamed Cho for the incident after he finished the race 11th from 24 starters.

"There was a crash further up the banking. Cho swerved to avoid the crash and hit me, bringing me down," he said.

"My bike flew off and got tangled up with Cho's. Cho pulled the bikes apart and shoved mine out of the way, which made me really angry - so I tried to give Cho a kick."

Uzbekistan's coach Almas Yusufov supported his rider.

"Shaekhov did try to kick him. Good on him," he said.

The 36-year-old Cho was considered a strong medal chance but finished ninth in the race which was won by Shaekhov's team mate Vladimir Tuychiev.

"The race was fierce. It was not clear until the last minute who would win. I was lucky," said Tuychiev.

Tuychiev brought Uzbekistan their third gold at the Asian Games and first at the Velodrome, which was the scene of a sickening crash in the women's team points race.

The silver medallist of that race, Hong Kong's Wong Wan Yiu accepted her medal in tears, nursing a suspected broken arm, while two other riders left the venue on stretchers.