Hong Kong golfers make history on Day 8 of Asian Games
Hong Kong claimed three more medals and made history on Day 8 of the Asian Games, with golfing ace Taichi Kho winning gold in the men's individual event and featuring in the men's team who took bronze, claiming the territory's first ever Asian Games medals in golf. Sunday represented day four of four in the golf competition at West Lake International Golf Course in Hangzhou.  Kho started the day in first place in the men's individual tournament, at an overall 24 under par and three shots ahead of his closest rival, Chinese Taipei's Hung Chien-yao. It was a lead Kho had held since the close of day two, and a lead he would not relinquish, scoring a steady par on every hole as golfers jostled for position behind him. Kho finished with a final score of 27 under par, a shot ahead of South Korea's Im Sungjae and three shots ahead of Hung, who secured bronze in a three-way fight with South Koreans Kim Siwoo and and Jang Yubin. "It means the world," said Kho, on winning Hong Kong a gold. "It means more when you're playing for something bigger than yourself." Taking place alongside the individual contest, the men's team event played out with the South Korean four out in front and clear of the rest of the field.  Hong Kong's Matthew Cheung, Jason Hak, Terrence Ng and Kho started the day in the bronze medal position and set about reining in the team from Thailand in second.  Both teams traded places multiple times, before Thailand eventually came out on top by one shot, on 51 under par, forcing Hong Kong to settle for bronze.  The SAR's female golfers were not as fortunate, but with two of the three aged just 16, the Games has provided invaluable experience to the next generation of Hong Kong golfers. "I was nowhere near this level when I was 16. So it's really cool to see all the young talent in Hong Kong. And I can see great things for Hong Kong," said Kho. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong mixed team of Chan Chun-kit, Tony Fung, Lam Ka-yan and Wong Hok-him won a bronze medal in Xiangqi (Chinese chess), behind Vietnam with the silver and China who took gold.  Elsewhere on Day 8, Hong Kong men's football team reached their first ever Asian Games semi-final with a 1-0 victory over Iran, courtesy of forward Poon Pui-hin's strike early in the second half. On the Pingfeng Cricket Field at the Zhejiang University of Technology, Hong Kong men's team beat Japan by 5 wickets in their final group game, ensuring they reach another quarter-finals at an Asian Games. They will come up against one of the seeded teams in the final eight: either Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or 2018 gold medallists  Sri Lanka. And the two mixed doubles pairings representing the SAR on the squash courts got off to winning starts.  Hong Kong, China1 beat Thailand2 in Pool D, and Hong Kong, China2 beat Nepal2 in Pool C. After eight days of competition, China top the table, followed by South Korea and Japan. Hong Kong are now eighth in the standings, with six gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze medals.