Fatigue confines gymnasts

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-11-28 11:04

Fatigue and flu are the main obstacles hindering the Chinese gymnasts from a clean sweep at the Doha Asian Games, said Chinese gymnastics head coach Huang Yubin over his arrival here on Monday for the upcoming Asiad running from December 1 to 15.

Chinese gymnasts wait for checking in at the entrance of the Doha Athletes' Villiage in Doha,Qator November 26,2006.Chinese badminton team and gymnastics team have arrived in Doha for the 15th Asian Games starting from December 1.[Xinhua]

A month ago, China made history at the Aarhus gymnastic world championships by plundering a lion's share of eight out of 14 golds on offer, but it's very hard to repeat the glory in Doha due to fatigue and cold after the Aarhus worlds.

"Many of our gymnasts suffered weariness and influenza after the Aarhus gymnastic worlds and our training program is not systematic and complete since then, so I think it's a challenge for us to repeat our dominance like what we did in Aarhus and it's even hard to get 12 golds as we achieved in the Busan Asian Games, " said Huang at the Doha international airport, who is heading the 20-member gymnastic delegation.

Chinese gymnastics team head coach Hong Yubin,front,walks out of Doha International Airport,Qator November 26,2006.Chinese badminton team and gymnastics team have arrived in Doha for the 15th Asian Games starting from December 1.[Xinhua]

The Aarhus triple gold medallist Yang Wei is close to full recovery from cold, which is bothering him for more than a month. "I got a few breaks in the last few days and the preparation for the Asian Games is far from over. I caught the cold in Aarhus, but fortunately it had not stopped me from winning medals," said Yang.

"The strength and endurance is an instant problem for me. The first thing for me when I was back to China from Aarhus was to see my doctor, so my health is still a concern of my coach and myself. I would like to take the Doha Asiad as a test of overcoming continued competition, I hate to take this as an excuse for any possible less satisfactory results for it's the same situation for our Japanese and South Korean rivals at the Games," added Yang.

Women's team coach Lu Shanzhen echoed low-pitched attitude in China's Asiad target in gymnastics. To him, the Chinese gymnasts have been falling into a temporary off-peak after the high tide at the gymnastic worlds.

"I don't think China can grab as many as 12 golds like what we did in Busan Games. China has just passed the top of their forms and we need time to be back to the point of climax. It's so hurry for us to compete in Asiad after the championships," said Lu.

China sent almost the same gymnastic contingent of 20-member squad as that to the Aarhus worlds, and China is focusing on building up experience and manoeuver for the "old-plus-young" lineup, which is quite likely to head for the Beijing Olympic Games two years later.