Wang eases doubts with historic haul

Upon becoming the first-ever men's paddler to win four gold medals at a single Asian Games, Wang Chuqin is taking some time to absorb what, to him, seems to be a slightly surreal scenario in Hangzhou, especially considering the setbacks he encountered just a month ago.

The world's second-ranked player suffered an early exit at the Asian Championships held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in September, missing out on a spot in the last 32 after being stunned by world No 61 Yuta Tanaka of Japan.

"I was quite disappointed with my performance at the Asian Championships. After losing at an early stage, I was deeply affected by self-doubt, and I felt that everything was wrong," Wang admitted in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, while reflecting on his adjustment shortly thereafter with the assistance of coaches and team members.