China’s Sun Ruiping, who lifted 118.5 kg in 75 kg snatch to set a world record, in Busan Monday. (AP/PTI)

Busan: Sun Ruiping became the fourth Chinese weightlifter to set a world record at the Asian Games on Monday as the opening day of the athletics competition got under way in a near-empty Asiad Main Stadium. So much so that the organisers were forced to bus in schoolchildren to provide some atmosphere.

Sun set the records in the women’s 75kg as the 21-year-old lifted 152.5kg on her third attempt at the clean and jerk and finished with a world best total of 270kg. Her lift of 118.5kg in the snatch was also a record.

China still lead the overall medals table as they added five more golds to move on to 97 on Day IX.

Hosts South Korea won 15 golds for a total of 47, while third-placed Japan added three golds to improve to 31. Kazakhstan are fourth with 10 golds.

However, the first day of track and field competition was dampened by swathes of empty seats at the Makhld Al-Otaibi of Saudi Arabia won the men’s 10,000 metres in 28 minutes 41.89 seconds as his country joined South Korea, India, Kazakhstan and China in picking up golds in athletics.

Strongly fancied Zhu Hongjun of China led through three-quarters but he was disqualified at the 15km—mark for “running” — or lifting both feet off the ground at once — along with pre-race favourite Yuki Yamazaki of Japan.

Japan won the men’s team tennis gold for the first time since the 1974 Games in Teheran as Michihisa Onoda and Takahiro Terachi won their singles in a one-sided final against South Korea.

The doubles became redundant after Terachi upset South Korean number one Lee Hyung-taik 6-4, 6-2 in the second rubber of a final delayed for 24 hours because of rain on Sunday.

However, South Korea completed a clean sweep of all four gold medals in soft tennis, a version of the game played with smaller rackets and a squashy rubber ball.

Kim Kyung-han and Park Young-hee won the men’s and women’s singles finals respectively, while the host nation also won gold in both doubles competitions.

South Korea also won multiple golds in cycling and wrestling and picked up titles in weightlifting, shooting and bowling.