DOHA, Qatar _ American track and field coach John Smith, who has helped train sprint stars Maurice Green and Ato Boldon, is in Doha to do the same with the Saudi Arabian team ahead of the athletics competition at the Asian Games.

Smith expects big things from the Saudi Arabian runners when competition begins Thursday.

"I want to win everything," Smith said Tuesday. "When one person wins it spreads, like a cold. That's what we want to do here in Doha; we want to catch a cold and get hot."

Smith began his association with Saudi Arabian athletics at the Asian Championships in Manila, Philippines in 2003 when 400-meter hurdler Hadi Soua'an Al Somayli caught his attention.

After Al Somayli won silver at the 2000 Sydney Games, the first Olympic medal for Saudi Arabia, Smith began working for the country's national federation, and is now a consultant.

Al Somayli was fourth at the 2001 world champions and won at the last Asian Games, at Busan, South Korea in 2002.

Smith says Prince Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Saud, president of the Saudi Arabian athletics federation, is a big booster of the sport.

"The prince is a nut for athletics, not just a fan," said Smith. "He is positive about the present and future of athletics in Saudi Arabia."