The New Nation - Internet Edition

High hopes for Asia at Beijing

AFP, Singapore

Asian nations will without doubt bag plenty of medals at the Olympics but what is blindingly clear is that host China will outdo all its regional competitors.

At the 2004 Games in Athens 15 Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) nations fought their way onto the medal table.

A rampant China had its best-ever performance, finishing second overall to the United States with 32 gold, while Japan with 16 gold came fifth. South Korea's nine gold earned them ninth place.

The key question in August will be whether China can topple the United States as the world's most powerful sporting nation.

"China has an incredibly strong team. Host nations generally have home-field advantage," admitted Steve Roush, the US Olympic Committee chief of sport performance.

"It may keep me up at night but it's keeping up coaches and young athletes around this country too. There's a job to be done."

While the three Asian heavyweights should again take the bulk of the glory, smaller fry like Thailand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong put athletes on the podium in 2004 and will be looking to improve in Beijing.

Mongolia, Iran, Indonesia, North Korea, Uzbekistan, UAE, Kazakhstan, Syria, and India also tasted limited success.

While lacking in blue riband events like swimming and athletics, China remains dominant in diving, table tennis, and badminton. It is also strong on the shooting ranges while it's women's weightlifters are top class.

Hurdler Liu Xiang is their great hope on the track, while Wu Peng could pick up a medal in the pool.

With a resurgence in judo, swimming, wrestling and gymnastics, Japan, Asia's top nation sporting power before China bulldozed its way to the top, also did better than expected in Athens and will want to build on that in Beijing.

Their key aim will be overtake Australia in the medals table while keeping arch-rival South Korea at bay.

"We are targeting gold medals in two digits and a total of more than 30 medals. That is the bottom line," said Tomiaki Fukuda, head of Japan's delegation to Beijing.

They have high hopes for judo icon Ryoko Tani to win her third straight Olympic title while Mizuki Noguchi has her marathon crown to defend. In equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu is Asia's oldest competitor at 67.

The Koreans have at least one trick up their sleeve in teenage swim sensation Park Tae-Hwan, who burst onto the scene at the 2006 Asian Games when he took three freestyle gold medals.

He followed it up with a stunning upset victory in the 400m freestyle at the world championships last year in Melbourne, insiring other Asian swimmers as he gatecrashed the usual US-Australian domination of the sport.

He is South Korea's first world swimming champion and there are high hopes for him in Beijing.

Elsewhere, the region has some of the world's best boxers, with Thailand and Uzbekistan having the talent to cause jitters in traditional Olympic power Cuba.

Thailand has one of its strongest boxing teams ever, led by defending light- welterweight champion Manus Boonjumnong, flyweight Somjit Jongjorhor, and bantamweight Worapoj Petchkoom.

"In previous editions, we rested our hopes on one or two boxers to take the medal," said Taweep Jantararoj, president of Amatuer Boxing Association of Thailand. "For this Olympics, everyone has a chance."

Taiwan are a power in taekwondo, while badminton and table tennis are Asian domains. It will be the rest of the world trying to muscle into these sports rather than the other way round in Beijing.

Defending badminton champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia will again be out to upset world No.1 Lin Dan of China, while Lin's girlfriend Xie Xingfang is the player to beat in the women's event.

Paddlers from Hong Kong and Singapore will be snapping at China's heels in the table tennis, where Wang Hao and Zhang Yining are the best players currently on the planet.

BKSP maintains supremacy in age group swimming

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) maintained their supremacy in the Keya Cosmetics 24th National Age Group Swimming securing 15 gold, 11 silver and 4 bronze medals on the 2nd day of the three-day meet at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur on Monday.

Bangladesh Ansar followed BKSP with 11 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze while Rajshahi Alamgir Swimming Club is in distant third collecting 4 gold, 2 silver and five bronze medals.

BKSP swimmer Anik Islam stole the show in the ongoing meet securing seven individual gold medals creating two new national records in the first two days.

Joytsna Khatoon of Bangladesh Ansar emerged as the best girl swimmer in the meet, also collecting seven gold medals in two days.

Anik Islam, a swimmer of boys 18-20 years age group, set up the day's only record in the 100 meter butterfly clocking 01:00.41 to better the old mark of 01:01.58 minutes.

He also clinched the gold medal in 400-meter individual medley with new national mark with a timing of 5:09.16 to improve upon previous timing of 5:10.00 on the opening day (Sunday).

Anik, who bagged gold medals in 200 meter freestyle, 200 m butterfly and 400 m individual medley on Sunday, today earned four more gold medals in 1500 m freestyle, 200 m back stroke, 100 m butterfly and 100 m freestyle.

Joytsna Khatoon, also a swimmer 18-20 years age group for the girls, who won three gold medals in the 100 m breaststroke, 200 m freestyle and 200 m butterfly, today earned four more gold medals in 800 m freestyle, 200 m breaststroke, 100 m butterfly and 100 me freestyle.

With the day's lone new national record, a total five new national marks were created in the first two days.

Earlier on Sunday, Jewel Ahmed of Bangladesh Ansar made the meet's first record in the Boys' 200-meter individual medley for 15-17 years age group while Mohammad Sagar Ali of Chandpur Swimming Club set up the day's second record in the Boys' 400-meter freestyle for 15-17 years age group.

BKSP swimmer Naima Akhter made record in the girls' 100-meter breaststroke for 11-12 years apart from Anik Islam's first record in 400 m individual medley.

President of Bangladesh Swimming Federation and Navy Chief Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam is expected to the chief guest at the closing function of the three-day meet today (Tuesday)

BFF thinks to hold qualifying round of Federation Cup out side in Dhaka

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is thinking to hold the qualifying round matches of the Federation Cup Football outside Dhaka.

The 11-team Federation Cup is scheduled to begin on July 26 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS), while the final round on July 31.

Talking to reporters at the BFF Bhaban today BFF president Kazi Salahuddin said that they are thinking to roll the qualifying round matches in Narshingdi and Gazipur.

Explaining the reasons the BFF boss said that if they hold the matches at BNS in the rainy weather, the ground would become more unplayable to hold the upcoming meets.

"Actually we are thinking to spread the football outside the capital city so that the local spectators are attracted more in the game. In the meantime the BNS ground will remain smooth for holding the next round matches," he said.

Salahuddin said it would be better to organize the final round of the Federation Cup after the Olympic Games to bring more focus on football.

The Olympic Games will be held on August 8-14 in China capital of Beijing.

Salauddin said that he would likely sit with all participating clubs of the Federation Cup to discus the issue.

Tangail FC, Arambagh Juniors makes

good start

UNB, Dhaka

Tangail Football Club made a good start in the 2nd phase group B match of the Metropolis Pioneer Football League beating Noakhali Football Academy by 2-0 goals at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium in Kamlapur on Monday.

Jagannath and Rubel scored for the winners, one in each half.

Arambagh KS Juniors earned a 2-0 goals victory over Madrashapara SC in the other Group B match at the same venue this afternoon.

Nadim struck twice for Arambagh, both in the first half.

Today's matches: Rampura KC vs Surjosena SC (3 pm) and Moghbazar KC vs Mugdapara SKKS (4:30 pm), both at the Kamlapur Stadium

NSC forms interim committee for Women's Sports Federation

UNB, Dhaka

National Sports Council on Monday formed a nine-member interim committee for Bangladesh Women's Sports Federation with deputy secretary of Jute Ministry Rina Akhter as general secretary.

Other members of the committee are: Sufia Khatoon, Hosne Ara Hashi, Khurshida Akhter Kushi, Hatemun Nahar, Lubna Mahmud, Firoza Begum and Hosne Ara Habib.

The president post of the federation will be appointed by the government

The committee will arrange federation election within next three months, but the committee members could not compete in the federation election.

Three players jointly leading in Rating Chess

UNB, Dhaka

Three players are jointly leading the 3rd Greenwitch University Open FIDE Rating Chess Tournament securing full five points after the 5th round matches at the Chess Federation hall room on Monday.

The leaders are: FM Mehdi Hasan Parag, Mahtabuddin Ahmed Robi and Mohammad Ali.

Three other players --FM Abu Sufian Shakil, FM Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar and Anisuzzaman Malik --followed the leaders with 4.5 points each.

Safin, sister team up for Hopman Cup

AFP, Australia

Wimbledon semi-finalist Marat Safin will team with his sister Dinara Safina to represent Russia at January's Hopman Cup, organisers said today.

It will be the first time the former world number one, now ranked 40, has competed with his ninth-ranked sister at the mixed teams event.

Safin, a former US and Australian Open champion, returned to form at Wimbledon earlier this month, where he had a career best semi-final appearance and went out in straight sets to Roger Federer.

The Russian siblings will join Australia's Lleyton Hewitt and Casey Dellacqua at the January 3-9 Hopman Cup, with other teams still to be announced.

Derbyshire scores 200 for 3 against Bangladesh A on day one

UNB, Dhaka

Derbyshire scored 200 runs for three wickets in 54 overs against touring Bangladesh A team till the last report received here on day one of 4th three-day match at the County Ground, Derbyshire on Monday.

Opting to bat first, the two openers gave the hosts a good start contributing 80 runs in the opening stand. DJ Brich scored 40 runs off 93 balls with six fours, while P M Borrington added 25 runs off 78 balls hitting three boundaries.

CJL Rogger and JL Sadler were at the crease with 46 and 41 runs respectively.

Musharra Hossain captured two wickets for 42 and Dollar Mahmud took one wicket for 48.

Wozniak beats ailing Bartoli to end Canadian drought

AFP, California

Aleksandra Wozniak became the first Canadian to win a WTA Tour title in 20 years by beating a hobbled Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-3 in the Bank of the West Classic final on Sunday.

It was the first career victory for the 20-year-old Wozniak, who got into the 600,000 dollar hardcourt event as a qualifier.

Wozniak, who is ranked 85th in the world, is the fifth Canadian ever to claim a WTA singles crown.

"It feels great," Wozniak said. "It's my first title on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and I'm really excited and proud of what I have accomplished here advancing through the qualifying round."

Wozniak caught a couple of breaks en route to earning 95,500 dollars in first place prize money.

She reached the final with a semi-final win over top-seeded Serena Williams, who withdrew while trailing with a left knee injury.

France's Bartoli also called for the trainer in the second set and finished the match on one leg, limply badly as she finished the set.

Bartoli served for the opening set at 5-4, but lost 12 of the next 14 points as Wozniak won the last three games and the set.

After Wozniak jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the second set, Bartoli asked for medical attention during a changeover.

The Canadian then broke for a 3-1 lead over Bartoli, who was holding her left hip.

"It's hard to retire during the final of tournament," Bartoli said. "I just wanted to give the fans a complete match. Even if I knew I was unable to win it, it was just better for everyone to try and keep going to the end."

The 23-year-old Bartoli, a surprise finalist at Wimbledon last year, was appearing in her first final of the year.

She was looking for her first victory since 2006, when she won three singles crowns.

Wozniak had to win eight matches, including three qualifying rounds, in nine days to lift the title.

"Playing eight matches in one week is never easy," Wozniak said. "I focused so hard this week on winning one match at a time. I believe in myself, but I never thought I would win this tournament."

The last Canadian to capture a WTA singles crown was Jill Hetherington at Wellington in February 1988 - when Wozniak was less than a year old.

"I didn't feel the big emotions right away after the match, but then it hit me and I was so excited," Wozniak said. "I am extremely proud of myself and it feels really great to know that this accomplishment is important for so many people.

"It is incredible to think that I was able to contribute something that means a lot to the country."

World record primes Hackett for Olympics glory

AFP, Sydney

Grant Hackett's world shortcourse record in the 800-metres freestyle backed up fast times in training ahead of his bid for a third consecutive 1500m freestyle gold medal in Beijing, reports said Monday.

The 28-year-old Australian clocked seven minutes 23.42 seconds in the 800m at the Victorian shortcourse championships in Melbourne on Sunday, slicing 1.86 seconds off the world record he set in Perth in August 2001.

Only 24 hours earlier, Hackett signalled the type of form he was in by producing a time of 3:35.16 in the 400m freestyle at the same meet, just 0.58secs outside his 2002 world record.

Hackett's coach, Ian Pope, said his performance was not unexpected, and they had targeted both those world records before the weekend event.

"We knew he'd be right on the mark," Pope told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Our intentions were to go that fast this weekend and leading into this we wanted to go after those sorts of times.

"We knew what we had done in training, and every race he's done all the way along in this preparation has been fast.

"He did a 7.48 (in the longcourse 800m) a couple of weeks ago at a low-key meet; he did well at the grand prix (in Sydney) and he's just raced fast all the way through.

If Hackett succeeds in winning his third Olympic gold medal in the 1500m event he will be the first man in 104 years to win the same swimming event in three consecutive Games.

Pope said Hackett's fast times were shoring up the swimmer's confidence ahead of the challenges he faces at the 'Water Cube' in Beijing next month.

"The way he did it was very impressive and will certainly build his confidence. He's in hard training, he's tired and it certainly was very good leading into the Olympics.

"He's swimming as fast as he has ever swum, and even the 800m we did a couple of weeks ago (long course), was the fastest time in the world in the last three years.

"He's had the best preparation, we've stayed consistent, he hasn't been sick, he's been healthy all the way through, and it's all very positive."

Hackett and Pope, along with his other two Olympic charges, Travis Nederpelt and Matt Targett, left late Sunday for a week's camp in Singapore.

They will join the rest of the Australian team in their pre-Games buildup in Kuala Lumpur from next weekend.

"I'll have my three guys going, and a sports scientist coming with me so we can iron out anything that comes up," Pope said. "We'll spend the week recovering after this weekend's racing, and then start tapering at the back end of the week."

Hackett begins his Olympic campaign with the heats of the 400m freestyle on August 9.

He will tackle the 1500m on the ninth and final day of the swimming events.