Qin's opponent Busanan Ongbumrungpan, from Thailand, was the top seed for the match and in the first game it was easy to see why as she blended power smashes with the deftest of flicks to win 21-19.

As well as seeming technically inferior, Qin already seemed heavy legged and it was difficult to see anything other than Thai gold.

Yet as a small group of vocal visiting fans in national costume ironically encouraged louder home noise from the rest of the arena, Qin began to fight back and with a fist pump greeting ever point, she restored parity at 1-1.

In the decider Qin's mental strength was tested even more and despite looking like she had finally cracked on several occasion she managed to raise her game by yet another notch as she threw her hands in the air in both delight and exhaustion when the gold medal was hers.

Qin Jinjing was down but definitely not out on way to the gutsiest of gold medals

China had earlier won the men's singles courtesy of Gulpo Lin as he showed what to expect from the host nation fitness wise as he outlasted Hong Kong's technically strong Cheuk Yiu Lee, while there was further disappointment for Thailand with surprise defeat in the mixed doubles final against Japan.

Over in the football there was a farcical ending to the semi-final between Iran and Iraq as the latter, trailing 1-0 in injury time, lost the plot and had two players sent off for fighting both with their opponents and with their own team.

It was a pity for Iraq who were almost to a man physically smaller than their opponents yet lost only due to a penalty after missing a host of chances before their behaviour let them, and the Youth Games spirit, down so badly.

A more harmonious affair in the second semi-final could hardly have been expected as the match pitted North versus South Korea, and again it was a 1-0 scoreline - to South Korea - with one red card this time for the losing team.

Elsewhere, in a day of first's Mohammad Dh M Dhv Alhamml of Kuwait - the base country of the organising Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) - won the men's trap shooting, while there was a brilliant victory for Syria's Raya Fatima in the gruelling 3,000 metres steeplechase.

There were also two women's titles for Vietnam in the long jump and the 200m backstroke swimming.

Tempers were fraying as the football semi finals kicked off - quite literally at times - with Iran versus Iraq


South Korea also won three more titles in the pool, while China triumphed in shooting, athletics and taekwondo, as well as their thrilling badminton double.

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