The first batch of athletes left the island yesterday to take part in the 16th Asian Games that got underway in Guangzhou China on Friday.
A contingent of one hundred and seven athletes and officials will take part in these games. Cricket, one of Sri Lanka’s hopes for an Asian Games medal, is due to get under way on November 19. The Lankan contingent, led by allrounder Jehan Mubarak, is due to leave the island on November 17. There will be 20 athletes representing Sri Lanka in the track and field events. The track and field events will start on November 21 and go on until November- 27.
At the 2006 Asian Games held in Qatar, the Lankan team returned home with a silver and two bronze medals. The silver medal was brought home by Susanthika Jayasinghe in the 200 meters women’s event. Susanthika also won a bronze in the 100 meter sprint. The 4x400 men’s team too won a bronze at this meet.
Forty five countries are taking part in these games and there are 55 events on offer however Sri Lanka is represented in only twenty two of these events. However besides cricket Sri Lanka has very little hope of earning medals at any of the other events.
Film hopeful wins Games first gold
GUANGZHOU, China, Nov 13, 2010 (AFP) - China's Yuan Xiaochao won the first gold of the Asian Games Saturday when he captured the men's Changquan title in wushu before playing down his aspirations of becoming a film star.
Yuan, the winner in Doha four years ago and a two-time world champion, saw off Japan's Daisuke Ichikizaki, who took silver, and Ehsan Peyghambari of Iran who won bronze.
Later, Lin Fan made it a Chinese double when she won the Nanquan/Nandao all-round title to add the Asian Games crown to her 2007 world title.
The 22-year-old Yuan, who is a lifelong fan of action stars Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, has been touted as seeking a film career once his gold medal winning days in this ancient martial art are over.
But he was keen to concentrate on his achievement of the honour of winning the first of 476 golds to be decided over two weeks of competition in this southern Chinese metropolis.
“I don't expect too much,” he said, when asked about his silver screen dreams. “I think you should show talent and potential.” Yuan scored 9.78 points with Ichikizaki, a bronze medal winner at the 2009 world championships, on 9.72, and Peyghambari finishing on 9.7 in the 12-man field at the Nansha Gymnasium.
Ichikizaki, who said he too became involved in wushu because of Chinese star Jet Li, paid tribute to Yuan. “He's a professional and performed well, but he also made some mistakes,” said the Japanese.
In the women's Nandao/Nanquan all-round competition, Lin Fan scored 19.80 out of a total of 20 points.
Indonesia's Ivana Irmanto took silver with 18.92 points with Cheau Xuen of Malaysia, the 2009 world bronze medallist, taking bronze with 18.86.
The 2009 world silver medallist Yuen Ka Ying of Hong Kong, who had started as one of the favourites, saw her hopes dashed by a series of minor errors and she finished fourth.
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