Placeholder canvas

Out-of-Africa gold rush prompts disquiet in Asian Games

Date:

Discontent grew over African-born athletes at the Asian Games on Monday as two-time world champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal led another assault on the track and field medals.

Ethiopian-born Jamal tore down the home straight to win the women’s 1,500 metres, just before Moroccan-origin Mohamad Al-Garni and Rashid Ramzi finished one-two in the men’s race.

Qatar’s home-grown high-jumper Mutaz Aissa Barsham did not challenge Javier Sotomayer’s 21-year world record but he still took gold with his brother Muamer third.

A day after Nigeria-born Femi Ogunode beat Chinese and Japanese runners to claim a new Asian 100m record, athletes and a senior official spoke out about imported talent.

“I think it’s unfair because they are taller and have a longer stride,” men’s 100 metre silver medallist Su Bingtian told AFP. “They are more powerful and athletic. Physically we are at a disadvantage.”

Japan’s Kei Takase, who was third in the 100m, said Asians could be “left behind” as the bar set by African runners at Asia’s Olympics gets “higher and higher”.

And Olympic Council of Asia honorary vice president Wei Jizhongo said countries should “work together to decrease” the number of imported medal-winners.

“If they buy some athletes they stop the training of their athletes. This is not beneficial for their country’s sports,” Wei told reporters.

Al Garni’s 1,500m gold was his second of the Games after the 5,000m on Saturday. As he crossed the line he turned and embraced Ramzi, who was stripped of his Olympic title and banned for two years over the banned blood-booster EPO-CERA.

“I want to win in at the Olympics in two years and I have to start from this moment,” said the Qatari.

“I have to work from now. I have to concentrate to train hard and impossibility is nothing. I can do it,” he added.

– Badminton king –

India’s Seema Punia was in tears after winning the women’s discus and Uzbekistan’s Ekaterina Voronina also welled up on the podium as she received heptathlon gold.

Badminton king Lin Dan saw off world champion Chen Long in an epic men’s singles final as he successfully defended his title and showed he can still dominate the sport at 30.

“Super Dan”, a day after beating his arch-rival Lee Chong Wei, bested a challenger five years his junior 12-21, 21-16, 21-16 at a rocking Gyeyang Gymnasium.

Elsewhere Indian star Sania Mirza won the mixed doubles tennis with partner Saketh Myneni after a rain-delayed final which finished late in the evening.

Kuwait’s cricketers reached the men’s cricket quarter-finals on a coin-toss after wet weather made play impossible at Incheon’s Yeonhui cricket ground.

“This is the first-ever coin toss I’ve ever had to decide… I called heads and the umpire flipped the coin,” said Kuwaiti captain Mahmoud Bastaki.

Later South Korea’s Sung Dae-Sik, using skills developed in baseball, slugged 33 off 16 balls as the hosts beat China to progress in a rain-shortened match.

For many of Hong Kong’s athletes, attention was on events at home as thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators continued to paralyse major thoroughfares.

“The police fired tear gas and I think this was unnecessary, but I cannot say which side is right or wrong. I am also a bit upset,” said men’s water polo player Toby Po Yue-kai.

By the end of day 10, China had pushed their gold medal tally to 112, a lead of 68 over second-placed South Korea.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

From Deepfake Concerns To India’s AI Mission PM Modi Interacts With Bill Gates

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a...

NewsMobile Morning Brief

Actor Govinda Joins Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena Ahead Of...

Gangster-Turned-Politician Mukhtar Ansari Dies Of Cardiac Arrest

Banda: Gangster turned politician Mukhtar Ansari passed away at...

IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals Defeat Delhi Capitals By 12 Runs

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals clinched a 12-run win over Delhi...