Moment athletics referee suffers horrific leg break and bleeding after being hit by a stray hammer thrown by competitor at China's Asian Games

This is the horrific moment an athletics official was left in agony after a misthrown hammer shattered his leg during the Asian Games. 

Blood was seen pouring out of Huang Qinhua's leg after he was struck by the 16lb hammer thrown by Kuwait's Ali Zankawi on Saturday at the men's final in Hangzhou, in the east of China. 

A mortified Zankawi, 39, rushed over to the 62-year-old referee after watching his throw go horribly wrong and helped apply a tourniquet to restrict bloodflow.

The official's face went a deep-red colour in the seconds after he was hit by the hammer. 

The official, who was sat several feet behind loose netting that surrounds the throwing circle, was seen clutching himself in agony as several other officials helped him onto a medical stretcher. 

Kuwait's Ali Zankawi misthrew his 16 lb hammer at the Asian Games on Saturday 

The hammer flew into the leg of Games official Huang Qinhua

Kuwait's Ali Zankawi is pictured moments before his hammer shattered an official's leg

Asian Games official Huang Qinhua was rushed to hospital after taking a hammer to the leg 

His leg was heavily bleeding in the moments after the accident

Ali Zankawi (pictured, left) rushed over to help the injured official

The pair were seen embracing as Qinhua lay in a hospital bed

Qinhua was then taken to hospital and treated for a bone fracture. 

Zankawi, meanwhile, looked shaken and reportedly asked after the official several times after he had left the packed Olympic stadium. 

A Games official said on Sunday: 'He arrived at the hospital at 20:15, where was diagnosed with a right open tibiofibular fracture. Currently his vital signs are stable.' 

Despite being hospitalised, Qinhua appeared to be in good spirits. 

He was seen with the hammer thrower, who shared a snap of the two of them embracing as Qinhua lies in his hospital bed. 

Though Zankawi managed to throw a season's best of 67.57m (221.6 ft), he finished eighth overall. 

Social media users called for safety protocols to be improved to offer better protection for referees. 

While Qinhua was sat behind netting meant to protect him and other officials, the netting is also loosely fitted to prevent hammers and discuses from flying back at athletes.