Jiang Qiuyan from China clinched the first gold medal of the 24th Universiade in Bangkok on Thursday in women's 20km walk.

 

 

Jiang Qiuyan from China clinched the first gold medal of the 24th Universiade in Bangkok on Thursday in women's 20km walk, August 9, 2007.

 

Jiang, who had been crowned at the last Universiade in Izmir, Turkey, in one hour 33 minutes and 13 seconds, defended her title with a time of 1:35:22 in Ayutthaya Province, 60 kilometers north to Bangkok.

 

Jiang, 24, came to Bangkok with the Asian Athletics Championship title claimed in Jordan last month.

 

Jiang's time of 1:33:13 in Izmir is still the Universiade best and her personal best is 1:27:00.

 

Her gold medal earned early this morning was the first trophy for the Chinese Universiade delegation.

 

Mongelli Lidia of Italy became the silver medalist, clocking 1:37:23, and Yurchanka Sniazhana of Bulgaria finished third in 1:37:26. 

 

Sixteen athletes from 12 countries competed in the first final of the Universiade, which was officially opened in Bangkok on Wednesday night.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)