Fu Jing (second from right) poses for a group photo with her teammates at the 20th Asian Games in Japan. [Photo/Soochow University]

Students at Soochow University's School of Physical Education and Sports have made a strong showing at the 20th Asian Games in Japan.

Fu Jing, an undergraduate majoring in sports training, alongside her teammates Zhang Mingyu, Wu Xiyao, and Meng Xin, clinched the gold medal in the women's modern pentathlon team event. This victory marked the first gold for the Chinese sports delegation at the Games.

The modern pentathlon, debuting its new format at this edition of the Asian Games, combined fencing, obstacle running, 100m freestyle swimming, and laser-run (running and laser shooting).

Fu excelled in the obstacle run, clocking the fastest time among the event's 18 Asian athletes at 27.39 seconds. In the 100m freestyle swimming section, all Chinese team members finished in under 1 minute and 1 second. Ultimately, their combined score of 4,318 points edged out the South Korean team, securing them the gold.

Ma Yu'ang (left) poses for a photo at the 20th Asian Games in Japan. [Photo/Soochow University]

In the men's team event, Ma Yu'ang, an undergraduate at the university, worked with his teammates Chen Boliang, Li Liuchang, and Luo Shuai to earn a silver medal. Ma's outstanding performance, particularly in the obstacle run and swimming, propelled him to the top of the leaderboard before finishing sixth overall, contributing significantly to the team's success.

A total of 11 students and alumni from Soochow University represented China in various events, including handball, rugby sevens, modern pentathlon, and athletics, showcasing their exceptional strengths.