By Sportswriter Wang Zijiang

    DOHA, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- China claimed 22 more gold medals on day 4 of the 15th Asian Games, raising their gold tally to 60, but a sepaktakraw bronze medal was rated by many as more precious than any of the golds.

    Chinese women's sepaktakraw team, made up of college and high school students and primary school teachers, lost to defending champions Thailand 1-2 to win a rare bronze medal. This was only the second medal, after the silver they took in the Busan Asiad four years ago.

    Sepaktakraw was a game traditionally played in southeast Asia and became a medal event since the 1990 Beijing Games. Points are scored by hitting the ball above the net and into the court as the opposing players attempt to block.

    Liu Peng, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, chose to watch the semifinal match of the non-Olympic event, instead of Chinese-dominated competitions of judo, shooting, table tennis or badminton.

    "We have improved a lot in the past few years," Liu said. "A few years ago, to win a medal was a tall order. Now the gap between Asia's best and China has been considerably narrowed. We will put more resources and attention to the development of non-Olympic events in the future."

    Chinese sharpshooters continued to control the competition in an extreme way, taking seven out of 10 gold medals, increasing their shooting gold medals to 19. South Korea won two and Kazakhstan grabbed one.

    In the swimming pool, arch rivals China and Japan took three gold medals apiece while South Korea seized one through up-and-coming star Park Tae Hwan from the seven swimming finals.

    Xu Yanwei, five-gold winner four years ago in Busan, splashed to the victory of the women's 50m freestyle, launching her bid for five golds for a second time.

    In the swimming medal table, China stands atop with 12 golds, 14 silvers and five bronzes and Japan ranks second with 10 golds, 11 silvers and 11 bronzes. South Korea is third with two golds, one silver and seven bronzes.

    Athens Olympic champion Zhang Ning led China to a 3-0 victory over Japan to retain the women's badminton team title, the first badminton gold medal in Doha and the eighth women's badminton team gold for China in the Asian Games.

    Zhang, 31 and ranked No. 1 in the world, beat Japanese top singles shuttler Kaori Mori 21-13 and 21-15 in the opening match. Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen, doubles winners at the Athens Olympic Games, knocked off Kumiko Ogura and Reiko Shiota 21-8, 21-15. Two-time world champion Xie Xingfang sealed the victory with an effortless win over Eriko Hirose 21-12, 21-15.

    The men's badminton team title also went to China, although they had to fight off tougher challenges from their opponents, defeating defending champions South Korea 3-2. Lin Dan, nicknamed "Super Dan", could not get rid of a gritty world championships semifinalist Lee Hyun Il, losing the opening game 20-22, 21-11, 13-21.

    But world doubles number one Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng put it even by knocking off Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung 21-19, 21-14, before Asian Games rookie Chen Jin came from one set down to beat Park Sung Hwan 18-21, 21-6 and 21-11.

    Although the second doubles pair Zheng Bo and Guo Zhendong failed to hold back Lee Jae Jin and Hwang Ji Man, an in-form Bao Chunlai smashed Shon Seung Mo 21-9, 21-8 to anchor China's win.

    Chinese cyclists opened their gold account on Monday through LiMeifang and Song Baoqing. Li was crowned in the women's individual time trial, while underdog Song Baoqing won the men's individual time trial.

    A big surprise was created in the gymnastics competition, China's Xiao Qin, nicknamed "Pommel King", fell from pommel horse for losing balance and lost the title.

    The top qualifier Xiao, the reigning world champion, fell down after a series of outstanding swaying and Thomas action. But his left hand slipped on the horse to cost him the most coveted gold medal.

    More surprisingly, the pommel horse event produced three titles with Japan's Hiroyuki Tomita for the second time in his career, tying for gold in the event at the Asian Games, along with Kim SooMyun of South Korea and Jo Jong Chol of DPR Korea.

    Zou Kai led a one-two Chinese finish in the men's floor, with Liang Fuliang taking the silver and Kim Soo Myun of DPR Korea the bronze.

    World champion Chen Yibing and Yan Wei, both of China, were crowned the kings of rings at gymnastics competition in a score of 16.575 points. Timur Kurbanbayev of Kazakhstan took the bronze.

    In women's apparatus finals, world champion Cheng Fei of China lived up to her reputation on the vault with a gold medal. Hong SuJong of DPR Korea broke up the Chinese monopoly in the women's uneven bars, winning with 15.525 points.

    China also won golds from judo (2) and weightlifting (1) to stand atop the medal standings with 59 golds, 31 silvers and 13 bronze, bringing their medal total to 103. Japan was second with a17-20-25 record with South Korea third with 13-17-32.

    Elsewhere, the all-mighty Chinese table tennis team suffered its first casualty at the Asian Games as the mixed doubles duo Ma Long and Guo Yan were ousted at the quarter-finals.