Record numbers to compete in Asian Winter Games
CHANGCHUN: A record number of athletes and teams willl participate at the 6th Asian Winter Games in Changchun, northeast China, from January 28 to February 4, organizers said on Wednesday.
A total of 816 athletes from 26 countries and regions of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have officially registered for the Games, making it the biggest ever winter sports meet on the continent, according to the local organizing committee.
Nine more countries and regions will take part in the upcoming Games than in the previous edition in Aomori, Japan.
Hosts China will dispatch a 200-plus delegation to stand top in terms of number of athletes, followed by Japan, South Korea and Kazakhstan, who will host the next Games in Almaty, 2011.
The Chinese athletes will participate in all 47 events. These include Olympic champion Wang Meng, Fu Tianyu and Li Ye in short track speedskating, and two-time world champions Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo in figure skating, along with 2006 world champions Pang Qing and Tong Jian. Han Xiaona and Li Nina will go for gold in freestyle skiing, and Wang Chunli and Li Geliang lead the pack in cross country skiing.
Japan will take part in all events except women's freestyle skiing aerials, and South Korea will compete in all but the freestyle skiing.
The Games will also feature athletes from Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese Taipei.
Pakistan will send one athlete to the Games.
Ice hockey is the most popular sport with 348 athletes, including a record 11 men's teams. Downhill skiing will be hotly contested with most of the 18 delegations bringing contenders.
At the last Winter Asian Games held in Aomori, Japan, in 2003, Chinese athletes won a total of nine golds, 11 silvers and 13 bronzes. Japan topped the medal table with 24 golds, 23 silvers and 20 bronzes, while South Korea went 10-8-10.
Xinhua
(China Daily 01/19/2007 page22)
