Busan: Chinese athletes dominated the early action at the Asian Games on Thursday as all eyes switched to the intriguing basketball duel that sees North and South Korea collide.

China, who picked up 21 golds on Wednesday, carried on where it left off, dominating rowing and shooting to add 10 more golds.

But the Chinese were denied a clean sweep of the rowing golds as the competition reached its climax.

Japanese scullers Daisaku Takeda and Kazushige Ura powered to victory in the men's lightweight doubles, thwarting China's hopes of taking all 13 gold medals on offer. Instead it had to settle for 12 after adding six more to the tally.

The medal haul means that since rowing was introduced into the Games in New Delhi in 1982, China has won 57 of the 60 gold medals contested.

China also dominated back on the shooting range, picking up four golds in individual and team events.

Veteran marksman Wang Yifu, who won two golds on Wednesday, added a third to his tally in the 10m air pistol team event.

A keenly awaited showdown between North and South Korea in the men's basketball competition, will get underway later on Thursday.

South Korea's 79-62 win over Japan and the Philippines 89-63 win over North Korea in the preliminary division set up the quarter-final round meeting ensuring the North's 2.36m giant Ri Myong-Hun and his teammates would face the skilled three-point shooters from the South.

Agencies