NOVEMBER 12, 20 CHINA DAILY PAGE 13 ASIAD BEST OF THE REST Archers target ROK aces ROWERS, CYCLISTS AND FIELD HOCKEY SQUADS LOOK TO RECAPTURE GLORY

Archery China’s young archers have Cue sports been given the responsibility of The 2006 Asian Games saw China’s breaking the Republic of Korea emergence as a force on the baize. (ROK) monopoly of the sport. With the unstoppable momentum Besides veteran Yang Jianping, all of snooker star Ding Junhui, China the Chinese archers are young and claimed three gold medals, one silver none represented the country at and two bronze in Doha. the Beijing Olympic Games. Ding, who won the fi rst cue sports Th e ROK swept all four archery gold in this tournament for China at gold medals at the 2006 Doha the 2002 Pusan Asian Games at the Asian Games, and has never failed age of 15, will lead the host in its bid to claim the overall title at any Asian for another victory in Guangzhou. Games. Meanwhile, China claimed “Nine-ball Queen” Pan Xiaoting only one silver (in women’s team) (shown here) will lead the women’s and one bronze (women’s indi- side. Pan won two bronze medals — in vidual) at Doha. eight-ball and nine-ball - in Doha.

Cricket Chinese women cricketers hope for a podium fi nish as their sport debuts at the Asian Games. Despite a humble start and a lack of international competition experience, their Indian coach Mamatha Maben said, China’s women have good medal chances in Guangzhou, proven by their fast progress over the past two years. Th e team reached the semifi nals of an Asian Cricket Council Twen- ty20 tournament last year, though events’ Asian Games record. including seven gold, at the 15th fi cation in Guangzhou, and that Gymnastics it was only given offi cial sanction The Chinese cycling team Asian Games and hopes for even means they have to march into Th e Japanese men’s team is the three years ago. topped the medal table with six more in Guangzhou; though tra- the fi nals. only threat to the Chinese gym- China takes on Malaysia in its gold medals in Doha, including ditional rivals the ROK and Japan Kim Sang-ryul, who led the Chi- nasts in Guangzhou. Winning four first match on Saturday, but its four at the velodrome. Th e track will continue their eff orts to break nese men’s team to a second-place gold medals, four silver and one real challenges come from the team hopes to claim even more the host’s monopoly. fi nish at the 15th Asian Games, will bronze at the World Champion- sport heavyweights Pakistan and medals this time around and has China dominated the men’s work with fresh lineup of women ships last month, China will send Bangladesh. been training for quite some time and women’s sabre in 2006 Doha in Guangzhou. Th e team fi nished the same team to Guangzhou. in Guangzhou. On the road, the Game, and Olympic champion eighth at the Hockey World Cup The men’s team runner-up at Cycling women’s team has already set its Zhong Man will make his Asian in September and will fi nd a tough the Worlds, Japan will try its best Chinese cyclist Guo Shuang will sights on gold, and the men’s team Game debut with the desire to foe in the Doha Asian Games run- to break China’s domination. start her second Asian Games’ will also be in the race for medals. achieve another career high. ner-up, the ROK. The Chinese women’s team will journey in Guangzhou. At the Th e men’s team has admitted it face no such threat. At the Doha 15th Asian Games, 20-year-old Chess Hockey will be hard for it to repeat the glo- Asian Games, China won 11 gold Guo won gold in the sprint and Xiangqi (Chinese chess) and China’s hockey teams will ry of four years ago, and its biggest medals. 500m time trial and broke the weiqi will make their Asian Games battle for London Olympic quali- challenges will come from India, debuts in Guangzhou, which will ROK, Pakistan and Malaysia. present numerous opportunities for the host country to win its Rowing fi rst Asian Games chess medal on With the rise of several central home boards. Asian countries, Chinese row- China’s chess players captured ers face a tough task at the 16th two silver and one bronze medal Asian Games. According to the in Doha. Th e host’s target is two national team’s deputy manager, gold medals in chess, one in weiqi two-time Olympic gold medalist and two in xiangqi. Meng Guanliang, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have already Fencing reached the world top three in “China should win at least six rankings. gold medals at the Guangzhou China won six gold medals at Asian Games,” said former cap- the Doha Asian Games, staking tain of the national foil team Ao a four-gold lead over runner-up Jie, who currently works for the Uzbekistan. The team hopes to International Fencing Federa- win at least five gold medals in tion. Guangzhou. China grabbed 17 medals,