Singapore : Japan's Yuka Sato won the first gold medal in the inaugural Youth Olympics, racing to a comfortable victory in the women's triathlon yesterday.
Sato, 18, finished the race in 1 hour and 49 seconds followed by Australian Ellie Salthouse who finished in 1 hour and 1 minute and 4 seconds and American Kelly Whitley who came in third with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute and 48 seconds. The 32 athletes swam 750 metres, cycled 20 kilometres and ran 5 kilometres through Singapore's East Coast Park.
"I feel a sense of happiness, very happy," she said, of making history as the first gold medal winner at the games. "At the beginning, I already told myself I could do this," she said.
"I knew this would be the first contest in the Youth Olympics which really got me motivated to go for gold. I really wanted to drive team Japan."
There were several crashes on the slick cycling course, sending South Korea's Kim Hee-sun to hospital and forcing Puerto Rico's Cristina Betancourt out of the race. Kim was to remain in the hospital for observation, International Triathlon Union delegate Gergely Markus said in a statement.
3,600 athletes
The triathlon opened the 12-day event which will feature 3,600 athletes, aged 14 to 18 from 204 countries competing in 26 sports across the Asian city state.
Organisers were dealt an early blow when British diver Tom Daley announced he may not compete because of a tricep injury.
Daley, who became the youngest diver at 15 to win a world title in men's platform earlier this year, withdrew from the European Championships on Saturday and said in a statement he will travel to Singapore and determine later whether he will compete. He arrives tomorrow.
He is among the best known athletes at the Youth Olympics and was due to compete in the 3 metre springboard and 10 metre platform. Daley is also scheduled to compete in the Commonwealth Games in October.
"The team and I felt it was best not to risk it and completely tear the muscle which would put me out for three months and would see me miss the Commonwealth Games," Daley said in a statement. "I'll travel to Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games but will see how it is before taking a decision to compete."
In Singapore, British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said Daley would consult with his coach before deciding upon his fitness to compete.
Yesterday, they were also medals awarded in fencing, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling.
