NOVEMBER 22, 20 CHINA DAILY PAGE 7 OFF TRACK

Korea sets sights WHO’S SAYING WHAT... on 75 gold medals Istomin “Smoking helps me feel better, forcing me to forget about the Inspired by its team’s excellent hailed for performances through the fi rst results. My teammate smokes half of the competition, Korea overrule as well.” is targeting 75 gold medals at the Equestrian rider SONG SANG-WUK Asian Games. honesty of Korea, on how he relaxes at an event “Our athletes have been per- forming well until now. Our gen- “Th at will be my winter project.” eral goal is 75 gold medals,” said India’s Karan Rastogi Lee Kee-heung, chef-de-mission (below) hailed Denis Germany-based Japanese equestrian medalist YOSHIAKI OIWA, on his Istomin (right) as an of the Korean delegation. plans for the off -season Korea has enjoyed its best per- “incredible champion” formances in shooting (13 gold after the Uzbek top “He deserves it. He said some- medals), judo (6) and swimming seed overruled a line (4). It also has the potential to call on match point in thing insulting to the referee.” scale new heights in fencing and their Asian Games men’s Saudi Arabia’s water polo assistant cycling, sports in which it has coach MOHAMMED GHALLAB, on won fi ve and three gold medals tennis quarterfi nal on Adel Al Malki’s ejection so far, respectively. Sunday. “Now the situation has gone Istomin, the world No “I am afraid of murmuring way beyond what we expected. 40, would have won the unconsciously during the game, If the athletes keep this up, espe- match if he had accepted cially in archery and wrestling, the chair umpire’s judg- which would lead to a penalty.” we believe we can get more than Japan chess player SATOSHI YUKI 70 gold medals,” Lee said. ment that a Rastogi fore- Korea’s previous best result hand was out. at the Asiad was when it played However, the Uzbek “It’s the love boat between my host in Busan in 2002, grabbing called the ball good wife and I.” 96 gold medals. before eventually going Dragon boat competitor HIDEYUKI IKEDA on to win 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 to of Japan Fans swoon over reach the semifi nals. “Not many people on “My family gives me the big- heart-throb rider the tour would do that,” gest support, especially my When 18-year-old Korean said the 24-year-old Ras- husband. He is paying my Kim Seok enters the Guang- togi, ranked 332nd in the bills all the time.” zhou equestrian arena on world. Hong Kong equestrian rider Monday, the fans are expected “I have known him for a JENNIFER LEE to rock the stands, not necessar- while and for him to call ily in response to his riding, but the ball good on match because he is also a fi lm star. “I changed because I was point showed that he’s an “I LIKE Kim started injured and was sent to the acting at the incredible champion.” RIDING AS Istomin said cheating hospital. So my family and MUCH AS age of five. Four years ago was not part of his game, I discussed changing to a less ACTING. he appeared in I WOULDN’T and that he preferred to dangerous sport. My father the Korean TV win fair and square. GIVE UP series Princess recommended fencing, so I “The shot was on the ONE FOR Hours, which tried it at summer camp.” line, so the call of out was THE OTHER.” also aired in Indonesia’s SINATRIO RAHRJO, on not true. Finally I won China. He his switch to fencing from gymnastics played the leading actress’s because I played better younger brother. at the end of the match.” “He kicked me and told me In 2004, his leading role in the AFP PHOTOS adaptation of the famous Korean to concentrate.” novel When I Turned Nine made Chinese Taipei’s taekwondo compteti- him a household name. MTV tor WEI CHEN-YANG on his coach’s appearances fi ll his calendar and the Korean jumping team, he as they sit next to each other dur- tough motivational methods fuel his popularity. Whenever he started riding at the age of eight, Facemasks keep ing the competition and have a AGENCE FRANCEPRESSE goes to Korea and China, young even though there was no eques- weiqi duo silent natural inclination to send verbal girls swoon over him. Th is has trian tradition in his family. His messages or signals. extended to the volunteers at the father bought him a horse aft er For Japanese weiqi players It was not clear if the masks equestrian venue. much nagging. Shinji Takao and Chiaki Mukai, affected their performance on Kim frequently has to put his Riding French gelding Lido wearing facemasks during their Saturday, but they certainly didn’t schoolbooks aside as a result Des Broches, Kim said he relies competition has nothing to do bring them much in the way of of his busy acting and riding on his teammates’ experience, as with sanitation, and everything to good luck. schedule. well as the training he received in do with avoiding subconsciously Th e pair lost their fi rst-round “For the Asian Games, I took Germany. communicating with each other. encounter against Jo Sae-byol a break from my acting,” Kim His fi rst international outing According to the rules of the and Pak Ho-gil from the Demo- said. “I like riding as much as was at the 2008 CSIO Seoul. He game, partners are not allowed cratic People’s Republic of Korea AFP acting. I wouldn’t give up one for won the Asian Games qualifying to talk to one another during to rank as the only seeded pair to Wei Chen-yang of Chinese Taipei the other.” competition in July. doubles matches. However this suff er defeat on the opening day celebrates gold in the men’s under As the youngest member of can be frustrating for teammates, of the competition. 58kg taekwondo fi nal on Saturday.