Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 49

Thread: Asian Games

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Asian Games

    I could have sworn we already had a thread for this, but all I could find were the Asian Indoor Games, the Asian Wushu Championships and the Asian Martial Arts Games. Ironically, the Asian Games is bigger than all three of those others.

    Official website of the 16th Asian Games
    November 12 - 27, 2010


    Here are the martial events: Archery, Boxing, Dragon Boat, Fencing, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Modern Pentathlon, Shooting, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Wushu

    Asian tigers roaring in own martial arts
    AFP, Nov 2, 2010, 08.37am IST

    TOKYO: Japan are ready to emphasise their comeback in judo by fielding seven world champions at the Asian Games where South Korea's supremacy in taekwondo is put to test by a new electronic scoring system.

    The other traditional Asian-born martial arts of wushu and karate are also marked with increasingly tough competition while struggling to secure a future place in the Olympics.

    The Guangzhou Asian Games give Japanese judokas, who won a record 10 gold medals at the world championships in Tokyo in September, a chance to avenge their humiliation.

    At the 2006 Doha Games, Japan failed to top the gold medal table for the first time since 1986 when South Korea grabbed six golds against Japan's two as judo made its Asiad debut in Seoul. The women's competition debuted in 1990.

    China won five golds, all in the women's divisions, in 2006 while Japan took two men's and two women's titles and South Korea grabbed four men's titles.

    Japanese men further suffered from a record-low Olympic haul of two medals in Beijing in 2008 and an unprecedented title drought at the 2009 world championships before this year's four-gold comeback.

    "It's going to be quite a tough battle," Kazuro Yoshimura, technical director at the All-Japan Judo Federation, told AFP.

    "Central Asian countries are getting stronger while South Koreans are obsessed with gold medals which could exempt them from military service," he said. "Hosts China will surely go for it in the women's game."

    The Japanese men's team features Daiki Kamikawa, who beat French giant Teddy Riner in the open-weight final in Tokyo, denying him a record fifth world title.

    On the women's team is Mika Sugimoto, who won the world over-78kg and open titles by beating Qin Qian in the absence of another Chinese Tong Wen who dominated the heavyweight since 2005 but was banned for doping in May.

    The centuries-old Korean fighting sport of taekwondo is experiencing a change in its scoring system after a judging controversy in Beijing threatened to kick it off the future Olympic programme.

    The 2009 world taekwondo championships became the first major tournament where competitors were required to wear electronic sensors in the body armour and the socks so that effective kicks are detected more objectively.

    But the new system has forced fighters to learn how to adjust their body movements and have the foot sensors hit the body sensors to score.

    "The system has changed so it's hard to predict how we will do," South Korea's Asiad coach Ryoo Byung-Kwan said.

    "But one thing for sure is that it has become harder for Korean players who are not used to the new system."

    South Korea have maintained their taekwondo supremacy since winning seven out of eight men's titles on offer at the sport's Asiad debut in 1986. The first women's competition was held in 1998.

    In Doha, South Korea won nine out of 16 gold medals, including five men's. China trailed with three golds, all in women's events. Iran, Taiwan, Jordan and Qatar each won one.

    "We aim for a total of eight gold medals with the women beating China and the men beating Iran," said Ryoo.

    His men's squad include Lee Dae-Hoon, who won the men's 63kg title at the 2007 Korea Open, and 2005 world 87kg bronze medallist Heo Jun-Nyung.

    Lee Sung-Hye, the 2007 world women's 57kg champion, aims to defend her Asian Games title and Hwang Mi-Na hopes to add the 46kg Asiad title to her 2010 World Student Game gold medal.

    China swept all wushu titles in 1990 when the sport was introduced at the Beijing Asian Games. In Doha, they won nine titles against one each for the Philippines and Malaysia.

    Karate has been on the Asiad menu since 1994 when Japan won nine out of 11 titles. In 2006, Japan's haul stood at four against three for Iran and two for Kuwait in 2006. Vietnam, Taiwan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan won one each.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Love that caption

    Mistress of the long fist. That could be interpreted so many ways.
    Updated November, 05 2010 09:43:55
    Wushu fighters ready for combat


    Mistress of the long fist: Viet Nam's Duong Thuy Vy, whose speciality is the ‘long fist' event, will be the only Vietnamese female competing in wushu taolu at the Asian Games next week. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Truong

    HA NOI — Viet Nam will be hoping to revive their fortunes at this month's 16th Asian Games, even though the country's best wushu practitioners will be absent.

    The onus will be on the Sanshou (combat) fighters to win medals as their taolu (performance) colleagues are unlikely to be successful – by their own admission.

    The seven-member sanshou team have been in intensive training in China's Yuhan Province since September.

    Nguyen Thi Bich, the 2008 world champion, will be competing in the women's 52kg category. Bich has dominated the national championship for many years. She triumphed at the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and the third Asian Indoor Games last year in Ha Noi.

    Meanwhile, coach Nguyen Phuong Lan, said Bich's teammate Tan Thi Ly would definitely be attending the games.

    Despite topping the sport nationally in the women's 60kg category, she has won little glory internationally.

    "Sanshou fighters have progressed remarkably following their recent training in China. If they perform like they did in practice, they will win the ASIAD gold medal," said Bui Truong Giang, head of the Wushu Department at the National Sports Adminstration.

    Despite their medal hopes, Viet Nam will be without Vu Tra My, Vu Thuy Linh, Nguyen Mai Phuong and Pham Hong Ngoc, all of whom are injured. Their absence will be a major blow to the team as they are among the best wushu practitioners in the country.

    Host China has organised eight taolu events for both men and women, including changquan (long fist) – Viet Nam's Duong Thuy Vy's speciality.

    Vy will be the only Vietnamese female competing in taolu.

    On the men's side, world champion Pham Quoc Khanh, who won a gold medal at the 2007 world championship when he was aged just 17, is another medal hope.

    Khanh will be competing in nanquan (South boxing) and nandao (South broad-sword).

    Vietnamese performers' chief handicap is their lack of physical strength.

    "Athletes will be unable to perform perfectly if they are not strong enough," Lan said.

    She said the team had over the last month concentrated on building up their physical strength.

    Khanh and Vy were in agreement with their coach. They both said they were happy with their technique but that they were worried they would not have enough energy to go the full minute.

    Viet Nam will be sending five taolu artists to the games this year.

    "With five participants. I believe we will get a medal but I am not sure whether it will be the gold," Giang said.

    In previous ASIADs, Viet Nam's best result was two silver medals.

    In Guangzhou, wushu will take place from November 13-17. There will be 15 sets of medals awarded. — VNS
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  3. #3

    Thumbs up

    may the best win.

    actually all participating athletes are winners already.

    asia game was the first international event to host wushu.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    490
    Last night I watched a TV interview of the government appointed team leader to campaign for the Asian Games to come to Hong Kong in 2023. I am against the hosting by the city initially. After hearing his argument for the event, I am more certain than ever that the city should not go for the hosting. His argument is not much solid and substanced. The estimated HKD 45 billion in 2023 prices can be put to more better and urgent use for the local people.

    With regards to the Asian Games in 2010 in GuangZhou of China, I guess I would watch several events. IMHO, it would be good if Wushu will eventually become an Olympic event.

    Good topic, Gene.




    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Impact of the Asian Games

    Wushu is a long way from the Olympics now, so the Asian Games are actually the most prestigious. SteveLau, can you elaborate on why HK should not host?
    Indonesia Looks to Dominate China in Wushu and Rowing
    Ami Afriatni | November 07, 2010


    Indonesia’s national dragon boat team has dominated lately, taking four gold medals at the 2008 Asian Beach Games. (Photo courtesy of Herman Syah)

    What are the odds of Indonesia pulling off victory in traditional Chinese sports at the Asian Games?

    Judging by the results churned out lately by Indonesia’s teams in wushu and dragon-boat rowing, they’re definitely no long shots.

    Their respective national federations are fielding teams that have won virtually every major international competition in the last two years, making them one of the favorites to win it all in Guangzhou, China.

    “I just came back from China where our team has been training for three weeks, and I really like our chances in the Asiad,” Iwan Kwok, the national wushu team’s head coach, said last week.

    What makes the wushu and the rowing teams’ gold-medal quest unique, however, is that their sports are deeply entrenched in the very country that will be hosting this month’s Asian Games.

    Wushu, a form of martial arts loosely referred to as kung fu, and dragon-boat rowing trace their origins to China, where their development is believed to have spanned centuries.

    Now, Indonesia aims to achieve Asian recognition by dominating the two sports right at the heart of their homeland.

    Talk about going deep into enemy territory.

    “Playing in China isn’t and shouldn’t be a big deal,” Iwan said. “Our team competed in the World Combat Games in Beijing [on Aug. 28-Sept. 4], and part of that was getting used to the kind of atmosphere we expect to face come the Asian Games.”

    Given their track record nothing should intimidate Indonesia’s top two wushu athletes, Susyana Tjhan and Lindswell Kwok, in Guangzhou.

    Susyana medaled at least once in the last five editions of the Southeast Asian Games, winning nine overall including three golds that came in 2001, ’05 and ’09.

    In the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, the 25-year-old became only the second Indonesian to earn a place on the podium in the quadrennial event.

    Her silver-medal finish in the changquan category (long fist) was the country’s second Asiad medal in the sport since Jaenab also took silver in the 1998 Games in Bangkok.

    “Susyana has what it takes to give us a medal. I don’t know what color it will be, but a top three finish is realistic,” national wushu team manager Ngatino said.

    Ngatino has higher hopes though for 20-year-old Lindswell, who stunned the international wushu community by clinching the gold in the tajiquan category (ultimate fist) at the 2009 World Championships in Canada.

    Lindswell’s other achievements include a gold-medal finish at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Bali, and silver at the 2009 SEA Games in Laos.

    But Wushu Indonesia (PBWI) is pointing to its success at the World Combat Games this year as the main reason for its optimism ahead of the Asian Games.

    Susyana earned a bronze, while Lindswell copped two gold medals at the WGC held in Beijing.

    “If Lindswell maintains her current form, I don’t know why she can’t bring home the gold from the Asian Games,” Iwan said.

    The Indonesian Rowing, Canoeing, Kayaking and Dragon Boat Association (Podsi) has also set lofty goals for the Asian Games, with an eye on the gold medal in the men’s and the women’s 1,000-meter events.

    Indonesia, not China, can call itself the most dominant dragon-boat rowing team in the continent, having won four of six gold medals available during the 2008 Asian Beach Games in Bali.

    National rowing team manager Mardinal Jamaluddin said both the men’s and the women’s teams have already posted faster times since their victories in the Asian Beach Games.

    The rowers have been training rigorously at Jatiluhur Dam in Purwakarta, West Java, since June.

    “We’ve focused a lot on improving our rowers’ conditioning. That will be the key for them to win in Guangzhou,” he said.

    The rowers competed at the Korea Open 1st International Dragon Boat Regatta in September, where they won all six events they were fielded in, although the field did not include China.

    National rowing head coach Suryadi said he would’ve wanted to have faced China in Busan to see how the two teams, in their current form, stack up.

    “We posted impressive times in Korea, and that was our goal there,” Suryadi said.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    490
    Why HK should not host? IMHO, there are several reasons:

    (1) Hosting the Asian Games does not promote the local interest in taking sports much.

    (2) The cost does not justify the benefit at all.

    (3) There are higher priority short-term and long-term problems in HK that need us to attend to.



    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Interesting Steve

    I suppose I can see your first point to some degree, although I'd argue that given the nature of these games, few locals play all of the sports involved. I can certainly see points 2 & 3. Thanks for your input.

    Here's some more on the Asian Games.
    Nationals off to Asiad war
    By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star) Updated November 10, 2010 12:00 AM

    MANILA, Philippines - The athletes tapped to don the Philippine colors to the 16th Asian Games have begun leaving in batches for Guangzhou, China, all pumped up and hopefully well-prepared to equal, if not surpass, the four-gold, six-silver, nine-bronze harvest of the last Asiad.

    Early birds in the southern Chinese city among the 188 athletes are the sailing team which arrived last Nov. 4 to attend to their boat
    being delivered from Australia; judoka John Baylon and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who went to Guangzhou in time for today’s Torch Run; and the Gilas Pilipinas cage team and two triathletes who left Manila ahead of the others yesterday.

    The main bulk of Team Philippines, composed of 64 athletes from 13 sports, is booked to board two separate flights to Guangzhou today via China Southern Airlines. They will be accompanied in the two-hour direct flight by 36 coaches, team managers and officials, led by chef de mission Joey Romasanta.

    Leading this big batch are Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 silver medalist Mary Jane Estimar and bronze medalists Benjie Rivera and Marianne Mariano, Olympian rower Benjie Tolentino, Olympian shooters Jethro Dionisio and Eric Ang, and Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre.

    Aside from wushu, rowing, shooting and chess, the other sports represented in this bunch are canoe-kayak, cycling, dancesport, gymnastics, judo, tennis, soft tennis, and weightlifting. Dancesport has the most number of delegates with 12 athletes and three coaches, followed by soft tennis with 10 bets and two mentors.

    The next day, Nov. 11, it will be the turn of 45-athlete strong group topbilled by gold medal prospects billiards, bowling and taekwondo along with swimming.

    The stellar cast is bannered by world-class cuemasters Efren Reyes, Dennis Orcollo and Rubilen Amit, two-time Olympian jin Tshomlee Go, and former bowling champs Liza del Rosario and Liza Clutario and Bowling World Cup third placer Biboy Rivera. With them are Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia.

    The rest of the athletes will depart for the southern Chinese city in nine other batches: Xiangqi chess on Nov. 12; golf and karate on Nov. 13; archery on Nov. 14; fencing, squash and the fancied boxing team on Nov. 15; softball and diving on Nov. 17; athletics on Nov. 18; wrestling on Nov. 19; and rhythmic gymnastics on Nov. 23.
    13-member Wushu team cleared for Asian Games
    PTI, Nov 9, 2010, 08.31pm IST

    RANCHI: A 13-member Indian Wushu contingent, including three coaches, have been cleared by the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs for the November 12 Asian Games at Guangzhou in China, a release said on Tuesday.

    According to the Wushu Association of India, the team comprise ten players and three coaches.

    The players are -- Santosh Kumar, Bimoljit Singh, Sandeep Yadav, Ravinder Kumar, Y Sanathoi Devi, W Sandya Rani, A Toshibala, H Deewan, Gyandash Singh and S Somorjit Singh.

    The Chief coach is Md Islamuddin besides coaches Kuldeep Handoo and M Sachidananda. Four other officials would accompany the team at their own cost, the email said.

    The team will compete in different weight group between 56 kg and 75 kg. Wushu is a full contact sport derived from Chinese martial art.
    I love that last line in the article above. It's sure to confuse the martial illiterate.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Bondi, Sydney Australia
    Posts
    2,502
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveLau View Post
    Why HK should not host? IMHO, there are several reasons:

    (1) Hosting the Asian Games does not promote the local interest in taking sports much.

    (2) The cost does not justify the benefit at all.

    (3) There are higher priority short-term and long-term problems in HK that need us to attend to.



    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong

    Come on Steve, imagine it....all the athletes being rowed to Han's Island across HK harbour.....
    Guangzhou Pak Mei Kung Fu School, Sydney Australia,
    Sifu Leung, Yuk Seng
    Established 1989, Glebe Australia

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Yum Cha View Post
    Come on Steve, imagine it....all the athletes being rowed to Han's Island across HK harbour.....
    there are so many tales and movies about underground or secret ku mi te near hong kong


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    490
    Here is the latest development on application for hosting of the Asian Games 2023:

    Yesterday, the HK ad-hoc committee for such application said the direct expenses can be cut by 60%?!! I agree with the critics saying that the committee were not serious in their initial budget estimation. Or they could be lying about it too! This BS application process is one big reason that I am against HK hosting for the Asian Games.


    P.S. The main reason that I believe that the city is not a suitable host for the Asian Games is its landscape. It is mountainous, having not much flat land. Thus making logistics difficult to be carried out. The argument that HK had a success in hosting the East Asian Games in 2009 is not much valid. It is much smaller in scale than the Asian Games. Hosting such big sport games needs large amount of resources include land, infrastructure, logistics, human resources, besides tons of money to spend.



    KC
    Hong Kong

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Canada!
    Posts
    23,110
    It's true. Hosting games is a huge effort and a huge expense for whatever city does it. There are rewards though. The better the job done, the more tourist dollars that follow with good experiences of visitors.

    This is what is the most important aspect of any international games in whatever format. Good will and commerce!

  12. #12
    do not know about HK politics

    but China will lose money or subsidize international events hosted to boost national pride and improve/polish international image

    mobilize volunteers to save money on labor.

    look up the number of volunteers in olympic games in beijing (2008) and world fare/expo in shang hai (2010).

    money spent in hosting international events is wise.

    money spent in defense and subsidy to african countries is dubious.

    or they are bigger holes to fill and the results are untangible at best.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Thanks for your input, Steve

    It's good to have the HK-eye-view on this. I didn't even know HK was bidding for it. We don't get any news of the Asian Games here in the states beyond the web, and we have to actively search for it.

    Having a successful international games is key. The Beijing Olympics showed how it could be done. On the flip side was the Delhi Commonwealth Games (AKA the shame games).

    10 Nov, 2010, 12.35PM IST,AGENCIES
    Asiad: Obscure sports eye breakthrough

    GUANGZHOU: The little-known disciplines of dance sport, dragon boat racing and wushu go on display at the Asian Games, with organisers hoping they will eventually gain recognition well beyond the region.

    Kabaddi and roller sports are also among the 42 events in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, while cricket remains an oddity for many locals, though that has done nothing to stop them snapping up tickets.

    "Asia is the largest continent in the world and has a diverse culture," Husain Al-Musallam, director general and technical director of the Olympic Council of Asia, told a press conference on Wednesday.

    He highlighted cricket and dance sport as examples where the Asiad was setting itself apart from the traditional Olympic sports, in the hope they will one day become as central to the Summer Games as athletics and swimming.

    "Most of the Asian sports are very popular in the other four continents," said Al-Musallam.

    Wushu, better known as martial arts, is a traditional Chinese sport that made its debut at the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990.

    It includes elaborate displays in which competitors wear traditional garb and wield weapons including swords.

    Dragon boat racing is another sport that has its roots in China, particularly in the south of the country, and it makes its Asian Games debut in Guangzhou.

    A typical dragon boat is colourful and fitted with a head and tail -- and also a special place for a drummer. The crew on the boat normally comprises one steerer, one drummer and 20 paddlers.

    "During the Olympic Games we have the Olympic sports only," said Al-Musallam. "Now we have 14 sports different to the Olympic programme.

    "In these 14 sports, there are millions of Asian youth following and practising, and through the Asian Games we try to give the Asian athletes the opportunity to play for their country."

    China are expected to dominate in many sports at the Games, but one in which they will not is kabaddi -- because they have not entered a team either in the men's or women's competition.

    "It is just not popular in China," said Gong Yemin, from the Sport for All administration Centre in Beijing. "There is no teachers, no coaches, no culture, no habit -- this is the main problem."

    Kabaddi, long dominated by countries in South Asia, is a team contact sport with seven players on each side in which the idea is to "raid" into the opponents' territory and touch as many opponents as possible.

    Dance sport, generally defined as partner dancing between a man and a woman, makes its first appearance as an official Asian Games sport and has developed from ballroom dancing to include a number of modern styles.

    The Asian Games run from November 12-27 with 45 countries and territories competing in 42 sports.
    Yuan Xiaochao sets to win 1st gold in Wushu
    16:58, November 10, 2010

    Another busy day at the Asian Games as we are into the final countdown ahead of the opening ceremonies on Friday evening. Among the early highlights, hopefully, for China will be the initial Wushu competition, where one of the countries top medal hopes will look to earn the first gold medal at home.

    Yuan Xiaochao, one of China's most acclaimed names in Wushu, is warming up at the Nansha Gymnasium, the competition venue for Wushu events.

    Yuan is considered the favorite to win the first gold medal for China in Changquan on Friday morning and he says he's in top form.

    Yuan will have to miss the opening ceremonies...but it's all part of ensuring he will be in top form.

    "Although I will miss the opening ceremony as I need to prepare for the next day's competition, I will cheer for the ceremony along with my teammates on TV."

    Iran delegation welcomed at the village

    Meanwhile, one of the biggest delegations from the middle east was welcomed in the Athletes' Village. A national flag raising ceremony was held at the center square of the International Zone for Iran. Iran is a strong medal contender in wrestling, taekwondo, wushu and Dragon Boats.

    Athletes village dining hall receiving top marks

    Meanwhile, the dining hall in the village is winning praise from the athletes. Over 100 kinds of cuisine from across Asia and even the world are served. Athletes can enjoy almost every kind of food they like in the village. As well, the kitchen ensures that athletes who have a specific diet due to religion can get everything they need.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    No wushu in 2014?

    If wushu got cut from the Asian games, that would be a staggering blow to the sport.
    Chess, dance might get cut from 2014 Asian Games
    Associated Press
    2010-11-11 07:03 PM

    South Korean organizers of the next Asian Games in Incheon have proposed cutting sports such as cricket and dance from the 2014 program.

    The Olympic Council of Asia has decided to cap the number of sports at future Asian Games at 35 _ 28 from the Olympic program and seven more that reflect the region's culture.

    The Guangzhou Games starting Friday includes 42 sports.

    The OCA on Thursday said Incheon organizers submitted a list that includes the non-Olympic sports of baseball, bowling, kabaddi, sepak takraw, softball, squash and wushu.

    Existing sports missing from that list include cricket, cue sports, dance sport, dragon boat racing, roller sports and chess.

    The OCA will decide the 2014 sports program on the weekend.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Diana Bong

    November 12, 2010 20:06 PM
    Good Concentration Crucial In Wushu, Says Diana
    By Fafhanah Azmi

    GUANGZHOU, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- All Diana Bong, Malaysia's wushu exponent, wants at the 16th Asian Games is good concentration during her performance.

    "A good concentration during my performance is crucial for me. I want to perform the very best here," said the petite Sarawakian when met at the Athletes Games Village, here Friday.

    Diana, 25, who hails from Kuching, is among Malaysia's medal prospects at the Guongzhou Asian Games.

    "My highest target here is to get the silver medal, which is to better my performance in the last Asian Games in Doha, where I won the bronze medal," she said.

    She added that a two-month training stint in Fuzhou, China since Sept 5 has helped her to strengthen her performance.

    Previously at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Diana had to compete in three diciplines -- nanquan, nandao and nangun while at this Asiad, only the nanquan and nandao diciplines are contested.

    Diana will start Malaysia's medal chase tomorrow in the women's nanquan and nandao diciplines.

    The wushu competition in Guangzhou offers two more gold medals in taolu (performance competition), making it eight instead of the six offered at the 2006 edition.

    The men's and women's changquan will see two separate events -- one for barehands and the other for weapons.
    I love the phrase "petite Sarawakian". It's so musical.

    November 12, 2010 20:43 PM
    Malaysia Start Asiad Medal Campaign Tomorrow

    GUANGZHOU, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia start their medal campaign in the 16th Asian Games here on Saturday with the focus being on the wushu and cycling events.

    A total of 19 medals are offer on the first day of competition on Saturday, after the Games is officially opened Friday night.

    All eyes will be on national women's cyclist Fatehah Mustafa who will be in action in the final of the 500m time trial and two wushu finals where Ang Eng Chong will do battle in the men's Taolu (changquan) and Diana Bong Siong Lin in the women's Taolu (nanquan and nandao).

    Up for grabs is one gold in track cycling and two in wushu.

    The bulk of the gold medals (six) will come from the pool on Saturday but Malaysian swimmers are expected to find it hard to match their counterparts from the host nation and Japan.

    The other medals will come from artistic gymnastics (1), shooting (6), triathlon (1) and weightlifting (2).

    At the last Asiad in Doha in 2006, Malaysia grabbed a silver in cycling through Josiah Ng in the men's keirin event while wushu provided a gold and two bronze.

    Fong Chai Ying bagged the gold in the women's Taijijian while the bronze were won by Diana Bong (women's nanquan ) and Ng Shin Yii (women's taijijian).

    Other events involving Malaysians on Saturday include the women's team badminton competition where Malaysia will take on Hong Kong.

    The national women's badminton team lineup is made up of Wong Mew Choo, Lydia Cheah, Tee Jing Yi, Vivian Hoo/Lim Yin Loo and Woon Khe Wei/Marylen Ng.

    The men's badminton team, which received a first-round bye, will also be in action on Saturday, squaring off against Thailand in the quarter-final at the Tianhe Gimnasium here.

    Malaysia will be led by world number one men's singles player Datuk Lee Chong Wei who will be supported by Muhd Hafiz Hashim, Liew Darren, Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong and Mak Hee Chun/Tan Wee Kiong.

    Also on Saturday, the women's cricket team will open their campaign against hosts China.

    At the Tianhe Stadium here, K. Rajagobal's boys will be in a do-or-die battle against China in Group A of the football competition with failure meaning the national team will exit the Games early while the women's hockey team will be playing their opening match against India in Group A at the Aoti Hockey Field.

    Meanwhile, at the Guangzhou Gymnasium, the women's table tennis team will be meeting South Korea in the opening match of Group D on Saturday morning before playing against Qatar in the afternoon.

    Malaysia have sent a contingent of 333 athletes for this Guongzhou Games and are targeting nine gold, expected to come from squash, cycling, tenpin bowling and wushu.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •