Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong, June 15th: 100-day countdown, Asian teams are actively preparing for the Hangzhou Asian Games
Xinhua News Agency reporter
On the 15th, the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou ushered in the 100-day countdown to the opening. In addition to the Asian sports hegemony and the Chinese sports delegation that will play at home, many other delegations are also actively preparing for the final sprint to achieve good results by the West Lake.
As the strongest competitor of the Chinese delegation in Asia, many teams of the Japanese delegation announced the primary list early. In April this year, the Japan Swimming Association announced that it would send 38 athletes to participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games with reference to the results of the Japan Swimming Championships and other events. Among them, the most famous is Chijiang Rikako, who will compete in the freestyle event. Judo is a traditional sport in Japan, and the Japanese team won nine of the 15 gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics. At the end of May, the All Japan Judo Federation announced the 17-man roster for the Asian Games, including Wolff, the men’s 100kg champion at the Tokyo Olympics.
In addition, the preliminary list of the Japanese delegation to participate in the Asian Games in Go, wrestling, triathlon, sepak takraw and e-sports has also been announced. It is worth mentioning that since the next Asian Games will be held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan and its capital, Nagoya, the Japan E-Sports Federation and the Aichi E-Sports Federation jointly held a competition called “Road to the Asian Games Festival” in Nagoya.
As another sports powerhouse in Asia, the selection of the South Korean delegation is also in full swing. Due to the one-year postponement of the Asian Games, only a few items of the South Korean delegation will remain unchanged, and the list of entries for many items will be adjusted according to the latest situation.
Shen Yubin, who just won the silver medal in women’s doubles at the Durban World Table Tennis Championships, has high hopes. In an interview, she said that the confrontation with Chinese players at the World Championships made her realize her own shortcomings. Compared with rankings, she believes that improving her own strength is more important. Good grades.
Indonesia, the host of the last Asian Games, won its first gold medal in the Jakarta Asian Games through Taekwondo. The Indonesian Taekwondo team naturally hopes to continue this achievement in Hangzhou. Team coach Weng Stefanus told Xinhua that after the last Asian Games, the sport has developed rapidly in Indonesia, and the athletes’ competitive level has been continuously improved. Currently, the team’s focus has been placed on the Hangzhou Asian Games. For athletes, the current key is to meet the demands of competition in terms of physical fitness, while maintaining a positive mentality.
“At the Hangzhou Asian Games, we must win the medals and attack the gold medal,” Weng Stefanus said.
At the Tokyo Olympics to be held in 2021, the Chinese Hong Kong delegation won the first Olympic gold medal since Hong Kong’s return, and also won 2 silver medals and 3 bronze medals. Huo Qigang, head of the Hong Kong delegation, said that the delegation will send its largest team since participating in the Asian Games. In this Asian Games, the Hong Kong team of China has the ability to make gold in swimming, fencing and other events. Each team is planning training and competitions reasonably, and strives to adjust the athlete’s state to the best before the Asian Games.
Chen Jianhong, head coach of the Hong Kong Swimming Team, said that before the Asian Games, the team will also have events such as the World Championships, the World University Games, and the World Youth Championships. The intensive schedule requires the entire coaching staff to conduct scientific planning.
“Each coach has a different division of labor, which requires them to formulate a competition plan based on the actual situation of each athlete. For example, we stipulate that the World Championships and the Universiade can only choose one of the two, and the same athlete cannot participate in two competitions, otherwise it will be very difficult to prepare for the Asian Games. It will have a big impact. We attach great importance to every competition, and of course the most important thing is the Asian Games. I hope that the coaches of each group will arrange the training well, arrange the exercise cycle well, and save the best state of the athletes for the Asian Games.” Chen Jianhong said.
The Chinese Macau delegation won 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronzes at the Asian Games in Jakarta. Martial arts, karate and other events are their specialties. Poon Wing-kuen, Director of the Sports Bureau of the Macau Special Administrative Region Government, said in an interview that Macau will send more than 180 athletes to compete in 21 events, and some teams have already gone to the mainland and overseas to actively prepare for the competition, hoping to achieve good results.
“Athletes are training intensively during this period, and I believe they can show their strength. We are full of confidence in the Hangzhou Asian Games. We hope that some athletes can win medals, and some young athletes can gain more competition experience.” Pan Yongquan said.
The Philippines will send about 400 athletes to participate in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, led by women’s weightlifting champion Ediline Diaz of the Tokyo Olympics, Cai Huaqiang (also known as Obena), the Asian record holder in the men’s pole vault, and other famous players, striving to break through the last Asian Games Will achieve 4 gold medals.
Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino said that the Philippine team will launch an impact on medals in weightlifting, boxing, pole vault, gymnastics and other events. Cai Huaqiang said that he is looking forward to having a wonderful performance in the Hangzhou Asian Games and getting ready for the Paris Olympics next year. (Note-taker: Wei Hua; Participating reporters: Wang Zijiang, Yang Ting, Lu Rui, Wang Aona, Li Hanfang, Liu Kai, Wu Bowen, Yu Sihui)
(Editor in charge: Ma Changyan)