Japan's Sato wins first gold

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 1hr 49secs followed by Ellie Salthouse, the Australian who finished in 1hr 1min 4secs and Kelly Whitley, the American who came in third with a time of 1hr, 1min and 48secs. The 32 athletes swam 750 metres, cycled 20 kilometres and ran five kilometres through Singapore's East Coast Park. "I made it," Sato 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." The triathlon started the 12-day competition.

In an unofficial medal tally because organisers are not collating a medals table, Russia leads the medal haul with four followed by China at three after the first day of competition. Nine countries have won two. Meanwhile, Tom Daley, the British diver, has revealed he hopes to compete at the Games after a scan on a tricep injury revealed the damage is not as bad as first feared.

Daley, who became the youngest diver, aged 15, to win a world title in the men's platform earlier this year, withdrew from the European Championships on Saturday. The diver told BBC Sport on Sunday: "There's no tear in my tricep so hopefully I'll be able to dive next week at the Youth Olympic Games. I fly to Singapore and then go to Arizona for the junior Worlds."

The young Briton is due to compete in the three-metre springboard and 10-metre platform. Daley is also scheduled to compete in the Commonwealth Games in October. Junior Wimbledon champion Marton Fuscovics was stunned by Britain's Olly Golding in the first round of the tennis. Golding, ranked 28 places below the top-ranked Hungarian, won 7-5 6-3.

"It's one of the best feelings I've had in my life," said Golding. * Associated Press