TAEGU (South Korea), Aug 26: North Korea made renewed threats of a pullout, then lost a politically charged volleyball match against the United States on another incident-filled day at the World University Games on Tuesday.

Away from the politics, China stormed to the top of the gold medal standings, collecting seven more on day six of the troubled event in Taegu.

China lead with 17 gold medals in total, three more than hosts South Korea with Russia on 13.

North Korea demanded an apology from the South Korean government for recent anti-North protests and accused right-wing activists of “ransacking” their well-guarded team hotel.

Several bags belonging to the imported North Korean cheerleaders were tampered with, according to team chief Jeon Kuk-man.

“Foul elements infiltrated (our accommodation) and broke into the bedrooms. They put leaflets with indecent messages on the beds and in the bags of our female students,” he told reporters.

As a result, the North Korean cheerleaders were absent from a tense preliminary volleyball match against the U.S., which took place on the eve of crucial six-way talks in Beijing over Pyongyang’s nuclear programme.

The U.S. overpowered North Korea 25-23 25-14 25-15 but the vocal South Korean fans made up for the empty seats reserved for the imported cheerleaders, hundreds of them waving the unified flag of a borderless Korea.

It was not all gloom for North Korea, however, as they demolished Mexico 5-0 to reach the semifinals of the women’s soccer and Ji Gyong-sun won judo silver in the women’s 63kg class for their first medal of the Games.

In the swimming, world record holder Qi Hui won gold for China in the women’s 200 metres breaststroke, clocking a new Games record of two minutes, 26.25 seconds with compatriot Luo Xuejuan runner-up in 2:26.99.

China also won gold in the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay in a time of 8:05.86.

There was double gold for Britain with James Gibson winning the men’s 100 breaststroke in a new games record of 1:00.71 and Rebecca Cooke triumphant in the women’s 400 freestyle in 4:11.23 to add to her gold in the 800 at the weekend.

Japan’s Takahiro Mori won gold in the men’s 200 individual medley in a Games best 2:00.59 while American James Westcott won the 50 metres backstroke title in 25.80. Russian Andrei Kaoralov claimed the men’s 100 freestyle crown in 49.36.

In diving, Wu Minxia beat world champion Guo Jingjing as China took gold and silver in the women’s three-metre springboard.—Reuters