"Just 0.255 Seconds Apart" Korea's Four-Man Kayak Team Wins Gold After a Heart-Stopping Thriller [Nagoya AG]

[Financial News]  The explosive paddling of four men slicing through the water finally held off China's fierce pursuit. The Republic of Korea Canoe Sprint team completely sank China in a breathtaking 0.255-second thriller and reclaimed the top spot in Asia.
Jo Gwang-hee, Kim Hyo-bin, Jang Sang-won and Choi Min-gyu delivered a perfectly synchronized performance for the Republic of Korea men's kayak team. At the men's kayak four 500m final (Final A) in Canoe Sprint at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on the 24th, held at the Miyoshi Lake Canoe Venue in Aichi Prefecture, they crossed the finish line first in 1:22.587 to win the gold medal. It was also the Republic of Korea delegation's ninth gold medal of the Games.
The final race that decided the medal color was a heart-pounding thriller. The Korean paddlers in Lane 4 surged forward with an overwhelming burst of speed as soon as the starting gun sounded. They reached the first 250m halfway mark in 40.44 seconds, the fastest time among all competing teams, and seized the initiative in an instant.
But China, a powerhouse in Asia racing in Lane 5, mounted a relentless counterattack. At the 250m mark, China closed to within just 0.04 seconds of Korea. In a nerve-racking second half, Korea's four paddlers continued cutting through the water without wavering. Even in the grueling test of endurance, they held firmly onto the lead and recorded 1:22.842, narrowly edging out the pursuing Chinese team by just 0.255 seconds and erupting in golden celebration. The bronze medal went to host nation Japan, which finished in 1:25.909.
The Republic of Korea team's dazzling performance had already been foreshadowed a day earlier. In Heat 2 of the preliminaries at the same venue on the 23rd, the team comfortably finished first with a dominant time of 1:25.383. Its strong form allowed it to bypass the physically demanding semifinals and advance directly to the medal final.
Canoe Sprint, often described as the highlight of water sports, is a speed event in which athletes race along a designated straight course on a calm lake or river, with the rankings determined by the fastest times. Depending on the discipline's rules, it is divided into kayak, in which athletes sit in a covered boat and use a double-bladed paddle, and canoe, in which they kneel in the boat and use a single-bladed paddle. Both disciplines feature fierce races through the spray.


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