Japan has won the first gold medal of the thirteenth Asian Games in Bangkok.

Naoko Takahashi smashed the existing games record to take the women's marathon, The games will be officially opened later today 1100G by the Thai monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Six-thousand athletes from forty-one countries are taking part.

Seven indoor stadiums have been built for the games, together with a new city express road to combat Bangkok's notorious traffic problems.