Yang Wei Reaches Dizzying Height in Asian Games
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10 Friday 8th December, 2006 Yang Wei reaches dizzying height in Asian Games Yang Wei cruised to his fourth title in debut in 1998. That’s the best time to Yang has been in impeccable form on Doha on Wednesday to pile up eight Asian remember for all life,” said Yang. “You the apparatus here. His show of fatigue in Games gold medals, which levelled the just feel everything is new and attractive pommel horse final seemed to break his record of China’s Gymnastics Prince Li to you at the first Games.” momentum on Tuesday,but minutes later Ning. “The Busan Asiad for me was a he fought back to share the rings gold Yang took the fourth gold in the paral- chance to make progress and to grow up, with teammate Chen Yibing. lel bars with a score of 16.300, ending his and Doha 2006 is a time to reach the peak Yang said Li Ning remains as his idol. Doha sweepstakes with brilliance. of my ability and form.” “Li Ning has been my idol since I Yang collected his first two Asiad gold “You learn me only by the way of stepped into gymnastics. I have won eight medals in Bangkok 1998 on team and floor watching my competing with others on golds in the Asian Games, but I am far exercise. Four years later in Busan, South apparatus, so you get impressed with my behind him in international events,” Korea, he took two more on team and all- outstanding performances and gold Yang said. around. medals. As a gymnast for 17 years, Li Ning has Now he can boast as the most prolific “But not many people really know the collected eight golds and 11 medals at the gymnast at the Asian Games with eight hardships and endless boring hours of Asian Games. He retired after the 1988 golds and 11 medals, matching his leg- training. Sometimes you just want to give Olympics. endary predecessor Li Ning. up and you hate to enter the training hall Li Ning still keeps the Chinese record “I have three different feelings about to see the apparatus,” Yang continued. of 14 world and Olympic gymnastics the latest three Asian Games,” Yang said. “Fortunately I get used to that now and I titles, with the closest challenger Li “The athletes village is just like a home even get addicted to that. Xiaopeng short of two. away from home. We live in the same “I didn’t realize I just reached Li After his retirement from gymnastics, place in peace and harmony, but we have Ning’s record,” said Yang. “We compete Li Ning built a sports wear and gear com- to fight each other when we meet on in different times and face different pany named after him, which is currently sporting arena.” rivals. It’s very hard to make a compari- the top brand in the Chinese industry of “I still remember my Asian Games son.” footwear and sporting apparel. - Xinhua Defying the years End of a 28-yyear wait After 28 years, the Malaysian men have finally delivered gold in the Asian Games bowling competition. Overnight leaders Daniel Lim, Ben Heng and Aaron Kong gave com- manding performances for a total of 4,089 to claim the trios gold medal at the Qatar Bowling Centre yesterday. Such was their stranglehold that they were congratulating each other when half the field in the second squad had yet to roll a ball in the second block. It was Malaysia’s second gold in Yang Wei Doha after Esther Cheah’s success in the women’s singles. And bowling have now matched the two-gold target set for them by the Iranian Hercules wins National Sports Council (NSC) with six gold medals yet to be won in the team, All-Events and Masters compe- another weightlifting gold titions. The success yesterday also put to DOHA, Qatar: fell far short of the world my third Olympic gold in a an end the tradition of the Malaysian Winning the gold medal at record combined total of row.” Iraq’s Amer Ali (10) men playing second fiddle to their the Sydney Olympics 472 kilograms he set at The only lifter to set a female counterparts in the Asiad. opened a few doors for Sydney in 2000. It was world record at the games massive 55 years separates the youngest younger players.” said Gilchrist, a Briton who The last Malaysian men’s victory Iranian weightlifter clear he wasn’t trying. He Wednesday was China’s and oldest competitors, both of whom will took out Singaporean citizenship earlier this was at the 1978 Bangkok Games when Hossein Rezazadeh. stopped after successfully Mu Shuangshuang, who Aalso be making their Asian Games debuts, year. current Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Turkey offered him lifting 230 on his first cleared 139 kilograms in demonstrating perfectly how sport is a great uni- Congress (MTBC) president, Dr P.S. US$20,000 a month, a luxu- clean and jerk, well below the women’s over-75-kilo- fying force. Not making up the numbers Nathan, J.B. Koo, Alan Hooi, Edward ry villa and a reward of the 263 kilograms he lifted gram weightlifting divi- Iraq’s Amer Ali who only turned 10 on 31 Other competitors at Doha 2006, who find Lim and present national coach US$10 million if he would in Athens. sion. Mu broke the previ- August this year, is bravely competing in the themselves at the extreme ends of the age spec- Holloway Cheah won the team-of-five change his citizenship and “I just came here for ous record of 138 kilo- swimming competitions. He was slowest in the trum are Chan Weng Sam of Macau, China and gold medal. win them a gold at Athens. the gold medal, not the grams set by Jang Mi-ran heats of the 200m backstroke, but told poolside Emiko Nakagawa of Japan. Chan, just 13, fin- Said Holloway: “Twenty-eight He turned it down. record,” he said. “I’m con- of South Korea in May reporters that one day he hopes to win gold for ished 70th in the women’s bowling on Sunday. years is a very long time to wait for a Instead, the “Iranian centrating all my efforts this year. his nation. Nakagawa, winner Japanese Championship gold and I am proud to have played a Hercules” had a couple of on Beijing. I want to get – (AP) There is also no lack of ambition at the in 1975, is taking part in the women’s chess part to end this unwanted record. banks named after him opposite end of the scale. 65-year-old Alan Puan competitions which run through until Thursday “But I am not taking any credit and was given a Badge of Teik Chong of Singapore will take part in cue 14 December. At 65, she is just 10 weeks away from the three bowlers, who Courage from President sports, where he is entered for the billiards and younger than Chong. blew the rest of the competition away. Mohammad Khatami. is aiming for a medal. Through the whole range Though the youngest and oldest partici- “The men’s trios win also lessens a It cost him the 10 mil- of ages that thrill of competition remains con- pants always attract a certain amount of curious little of the pain we felt when the lion. He defended his title stant. interest, don’t be fooled into thinking they are women narrowly missed out on the in Athens, for Iran. Qatari schoolgirl Alaa Shoudy will turn 11 on merely making up the numbers. There are plen- gold earlier in the day. But the two But Rezazadeh is still December 22 and is excited at the prospect of ty of examples from Asian Games history to sug- golds in the bag will not distract us smiling. making an impact in the sailing at Doha 2006. gest that they can succeed, perhaps even win a from aiming for victories in the team He lifted 195 kilograms Shoudy is a remarkable sporting talent, who has medal. events.” in the snatch and 230 in also represented her nation in gymnastics. Even in track and field, a sport where ath- Asian Games debutant Aaron the clean and jerk to win But, the more time she spent at the marina letes are widely believed to be on the decline Kong was the best performer for the Asian Games over-105- with her sailing-enthusiast father, the more she upon reaching 30, conventional wisdom has Malaysia yesterday, rolling down 231- kilogram division. And as enjoyed it and eventually she decided to switch often been contradicted. At the 1998 Games in 226-245 to finish with a 1,392 total he held the final lift over sports and follow in his wake. Bangkok, China’s Li Meisu shrugged off her 39 (average 232.0) over two days. his head, he nodded his She will be taking on some of Asia’s finest years to win the shot put, 16 years after winning Ben kept pace with the unstop- head and grinned. It was and most experienced female sailors. gold at the 1982 Games in New Delhi. pable Aaron by contributing 1,374 Iran’s first gold at the Understandably, the youngster and proud parent “I feel that in some events athletes retire too while Daniel chipped in with 1,323. games. Amro are feeling a little anxious. Alaa said: “It’s early.” She rightly said afterwards. Likewise, “Everyone thought that our per- “I was so happy just a little bit scary being so young.