Japan dominated the Asian Championships in New Taipei over the weekend, sweeping both the men’s and women’s podiums, as well as the Mixed Relay.

Despite exiting the water more than a minute and a half down from teammates Juri Ide and Markio Adachi, a strong performance on the bike saw Ai Ueda bridge up to her teammates only to blow by them on the run for gold.

Ueda has dominated the Asian circuit, having won the Asian Games, Asian Beach Games and scored silver at the Yokohama World Triathlon last year. Ide and Adachi followed for silver and bronze nearly four minutes ahead of teammate Yuka Sato.

Similar to the women’s race, it was 2014 Asian Games champion Yuichi Hosoda who proved strongest. He and teammate Ryosuke Yamamoto left the water a minute down from fellow Japanese Jumpei Furuya.

Equally as strong on the bike as the swim, Furuya didn’t show signs of slowing until the run when he was caught first by Hosoda and then by Yamamoto. Hosoda sailed across the finish line first, followed by Yamamoto & and then Furuya.

With the two wins, Japan secured two spots at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Mixed Relay:
It was again Japan that reigned supreme in the Mixed Relay, clocking in 1:35 ahead of South Korea and nearly four minutes ahead of bronze medallists Hong Kong.

While South Korea’s men out split the Japanese men, Japan’s lead athlete Yuka Sato secured a lead that was insurmountable. South Korea made a move to catch Jumpei Furuya, but Ai Ueda ensured the team’s anchor Yuichi Hosoda was in the clear to take the team gold.