Official Newsletter of the Olympic Council of Asia
Edition 27 - December 2014
Gam Sa Ham Mee Da!
(Asia says ‘thank you’ to Incheon 2014) Asian Games Special Edition OCA Youth Reporter Project OCA General Assembly
Contents
Inside your 32-page Sporting Asia
3
OCA President’s Message Academic award for OCA President
06
12
14-15
22
27-31 Page 02
Sporting Asia is the official newsletter of the Olympic Council of Asia, published quarterly.
4–5
33rd OCA General Assembly
6
Inside the OCA
Executive Editor / Director General Husain Al Musallam husain@ocasia.org
7 – 26
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
Art Director / IT Director Amer Elalami amer@ocasia.org
8–9
Overview, Facts and Figures
10-11
Gold Galore
12
World Records
13
Vision 2014
14 – 15 16 – 17
DPRK-Pop in ROK
Out and about with the OCA President
18
Samsung MVP
19
Asian Kids’ Art Competition
20 – 21
Director, Int’l & NOC Relations Vinod Tiwari vinod@ocasia.org Director, Asian Games Department Haider A. Farman haider@ocasia.org Editor Jeremy Walker jeremy@ocasia.org Executive Secretary Nayaf Sraj nayaf@ocasia.org Olympic Council of Asia PO Box 6706, Hawalli Zip Code 32042 Kuwait Telephone: +965 22274277 - 88 Fax: +965 22274280 - 90 Email: info@ocasia.org Website: www.ocasia.org
Highlights from opening and closing ceremony
22 – 25
OCA Youth Reporter Project
26
Asian Games Scrapbook
27 – 31
News and Sport from 45 NOCs
32
OCA Sports Diary, Sponsors’ Club
Front cover: The OCA President delights the crowd at the closing ceremony
President’s message
InCheon 2014 ContInues AsIAn GAmes suCCess story
T
here are many reasons to celebrate the success of the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea.
The fact that all 45 National Olympic Committees took part, with over 9,000 athletes, is an achievement in itself. We were particularly pleased to welcome DPR Korea, whose entry was confirmed quite late in the day but whose participation attracted massive media interest and added value to the Asian Games. From the moment their athletes began arriving at Incheon International Airport on a direct flight from Pyongyang on September 11 to the presence of two high-ranking government officials at the closing ceremony on October 4, the participation of the DPRK proved once again the power of sport to unite people and overcome differences in religion, politics and culture. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in making this happen. It was a great team effort and a message to the world that peace, harmony and understanding can conquer conflict, suspicion and mistrust. This is the social legacy of the Asian Games. On a technical level we witnessed a host of Asian Games records, Asian records and World records in a variety of sports, highlighting the ever-improving standards of our athletes. At this point - in the mid-term of the Olympic cycle - I urge all NOCs to make the most of the funding and programmes available through Olympic Solidarity so that Asia’s elite athletes will be ready to step up to the next level at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Thank you Incheon, Korea and Asia for a successful and positive 17th Asian Games, Incheon 2014!
Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah President, Olympic Council of Asia President, Association of National Olympic Committees Chairman, IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission
OCA PreSIdent reCeIveS tOP AwArd frOm SPOrtS UnIverSIty
T
he President of the OCA, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, received an honorary doctorate in Physical Education from Korea National Sport University in Seoul on Monday, September 22.
The award of the highest academic degree was to honour Sheikh Ahmad’s contribution to the sports movement and the youth in Asia and for his assistance in the development of sport in Korea. “Sport is one of the main parts of our life, and I will always prepare the best conditions for our youth and for our athletes,” he said in his acceptance speech. “I will always be supportive of hosting international events to keep the solidarity and the unity, and friendship and brotherhood, of the sports movement and the youth.” Sheikh Ahmad praised the Korea National Sport University for building an environment in education to produce top-class athletes, and thanked the academics, staff and students for the award.
Sheikh Ahmad receives his award.
The ceremony took place at the Convention Centre of the Sheraton Walkerhill. Page 03
33rd oCA General Assembly
The host city contract signing ceremony for Jakarta 2018.
Jakarta to host 18th Asian Games
T
he Asian Games will be returning to Indonesia in 2018 – a break of 56 years since the capital Jakarta last hosted the OCA’s showpiece event in 1962. Jakarta was confirmed as the host city for the 18thAsiad at the 33rd OCA General Assembly in Incheon, Korea, on Saturday, September 20, when the official contract-signing ceremony took place. “We are very proud to be hosting the next Asian Games in our capital city Jakarta,” said IOC member Rita Subowo, President of the Indonesian Olympic Committee and OCA Executive Board member.
With 36 sports on the provisional programme, Indonesia plans to use around 20 competitions venues, including a landmark stadium under construction in the north of Jakarta. Most of the venues already exist and will be refurbished or upgraded for the Asian Games, while Indonesia also plans to hold sports inside exhibition and convention centres, similar to the ExCeL Arena at the London 2012 Olympics.
“We hosted the 4th Asian Games in 1962 and a lot has changed since then, but we are sure we will have enough time to prepare all the technical requirements of the OCA. There is a lot of hard work ahead, starting yesterday.”
The 18th Asian Games were due to take place in Hanoi in 2019, but the Vietnamese capital withdrew this April due to economic factors. Indonesia, whose second largest city, Surabaya, had missed out to Hanoi in the 2012 General Assembly vote, came back with another bid, but this time for the capital Jakarta.
Jakarta will be assisted by Palembang, capital of South Sumatra and host city of the 2011 South East Asian (SEA) Games, and by Bandung, capital of West Java and Indonesia’s third largest city.
Despite interest from other NOCs, the OCA felt that Indonesia deserved the chance to host the next Asiad – but in 2018, due to the country’s presidential elections in 2019.
The colours and culture of Indonesia.
Dazzling Indonesia.
Page 04
33rd oCA General Assembly IoC President welcomes Asia’s olympic Decade
T
he 33rd OCA General Assembly at Songdo Convensia, Incheon, Korea, on Saturday, September 20 included a keynote speech by the IOC President, Thomas Bach. The German sports leader praised the “great leadership” of the OCA President, and said that the Olympic Movement was entering an Asian Decade. “We have had an excellent Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, last month,” he said. “In 2018 we will be back in Korea for the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, and two years later we go to Tokyo for the Summer Olympics in 2020. Asia also has two strong candidates for the 2022 Winter Olympics – Beijing, China, and Almaty, Kazakhstan. “We have entered the ‘Decade of Asia’, and all this shows the growth and dynamism of sport in Asia, initiated and governed by the OCA. “This is the result of very hard work over many years. You have worked with great determination and consistency to reach new heights for sport in Asia, and the IOC is very grateful for this great success. The cooperation between the OCA and IOC has never been closer or better than now.”
The Sheikh Fahad Hiroshima-Asia Sports Fund Science Award was presented to the Qatar Sport Medicine Committee and Dr Lotfali Pourkazemi, President of the Sports Medicine Federation of Iran.
The General Assembly heard presentations and reports from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ANOC, Olympic Solidarity and the organisers of the next two Olympic Games – Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018.
IOC President Thomas Bach.
In the afternoon session, the delegates were updated on the next cycle of OCA events: the 4th Asian Beach Games, Phuket 2014; the 5th Asian Beach Games, NhaTrang-Vietnam 2016; and the 8th Asian Winter Games (Sapporo, Japan), 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) and 3rd Asian Youth Games (Colombo and Hambantota, Sri Lanka), all in 2017. The reports from the five OCA zones and standing committees included news of the second Asian Athletes’ Forum - to be held in Kuwait in January 2015 - organised by the OCA Athletes’ Committee headed by Japan’s Yuko Arakida. The 34th OCA General Assembly will be hosted by Turkmenistan NOC in the capital Ashgabat in September 2015.
The Qatar Olympic Committee and OCA signed a contract for the Olympic Academy in Doha. The six recipients of the OCA Merit Award were: Kim Young Soo, President, IAGOC; Khaled Al Hamad, Kuwait; Yousef Shaheen Alghanim, Kuwait; Park Yong Sung, OCA Vice President; Khin Maung Lwin, Joint Secretary General, Myanmar Olympic Committee; Mirabror Usmanov, President, Uzbekistan NOC.
Page 05
Inside the oCA
OCA exeCUtIve BOArd
T
he 65th OCA Executive Board meeting was held at the Oakwood Premier Incheon on Friday, September 19 the day of the opening ceremony of the 17th Asian Games. Looking ahead to the opening ceremony, the OCA President said he was sure it would celebrate the “harmony, unity and solidarity” of the continent. “Enjoy your stay in Incheon and work hard for the success of the Games,” he added. “Let us prepare a good environment for the athletes. We are your partner. We are one team. We will work hard together and we will help each other for the success of the Games.”
OCA fInAnCe COmmIttee
T
he OCA Finance Committee met at the Oakwood Premier Incheon on Thursday, September 18, under the chairmanship of Kevin Kuo-I Chen of Chinese Taipei and observed a minute’s silence for the late Dr Feng-Shu Chang, the previous chairman who passed away on June 1 in Taipei. The committee approved the audited financial statements for OCA, Olympic Solidarity and the OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 programme for the year ended December 31, 2013, and passed them to the Executive Board and General Assembly for final ratification.
OCA AthleteS’ COmmIttee
OCA edUCAtIOn COmmIttee
T
T
he OCA Athletes’ Committee met at the Oakwood Premier Incheon on Thursday, September 18, chaired by Yuko Arakida of Japan.
The previous chairman, Dr Rashid Al Heraiwel of Saudi Arabia, passed away earlier this year.
The meeting welcomed two special guests – Claudia Bokel of Germany, a member of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board and Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, and Barbara Kendall of New Zealand, IOC member and Chair of the Athletes’ Commission of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).
he OCA Education Committee met at the Oakwood Premier Incheon on Thursday, September 18, for the first time under its new chairman, Mr Mohammed H. Almishal, Secretary General of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee.
The main focus of the meeting was to formulate a mission statement with a clear plan and timetable.
Page 06
Asian IOC members Yang Yang of China and Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski of the Philippines were also in attendance as OCA Athletes’ Committee members.
Sporting Asia’s 20-page special on the 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 starts here!
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
InCheon AsIAn GAmes – the wInDow on the wonD By Le Minh Trang, OCA Youth Reporter, Vietnam
W
ith the tagline “Imagine your Korea”, visitors to this magnificent Asian country simply know no boundaries: they are free to discover and perceive various aspects of South Korea in their own way.
Whenever I glance at Korean people, they always flash a bright smile right back to me. Their serene way of life, their carefree manners and the cordial atmosphere constantly present around them never failed to comfort me.
I chose to experience Korea as an OCA Youth Reporter during the Incheon Asian Games and, simultaneously, as a traveller who always has a compulsion to set foot on every corner of the world.
South Korea is, undeniably, a harmonious combination of antiquity and modernity. In the heart of Seoul - the capital city - lies the ancient palace Gyeongbokgung, rich in history and elaborate in architecture. Not far from the past royal residence is the new N Seoul Tower, which offers a panoramic and breathtaking view of the city. The past blends in perfectly with the present.
My trip lasted for eight days. Although it was a short period of time, it still left me ample unforgettable memories. When I first arrived in Korea, what instantly took me by surprise was how amiable and hospitable the Koreans were. Throughout the week I came across lots of Koreans who were always more than willing to help me: a married couple offered to take me to famous tourist attractions; a middle-aged man on the subway train gave up his seat to me; the mother of a Korean OCA Youth Reporter instructed me how to use the subway and drove me to the best local shopping malls.
Workmen decorate the Oakwood Premier Incheon at Songdo - OCA HQ for the Incheon Asian Games.
Page 08
On the other hand, Incheon is a dynamic, ever-changing new city. Incheon is highly advanced, with the commuting system for the disabled running uninterruptedly, and the hectic yet well-organised main international airport. My most memorable experience was unquestionably the Youth Reporter Project. Not only did the project grant me opportunities to watch the games live from the best angle in the stadium, it also taught me about the latent aspects of journalism I never under-
The Team Welcome Ceremony for Japan at Flag Plaza.
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
Derful worlD of KoreA stood before. I got to familiarise myself with the Mixed Zone, where media interview athletes immediately after competition, the Press Conference with an English interpreter, where all international reporters can raise questions, and myriad other journalistic procedures. From my experience, I gathered that it takes a lot of conscientiousness to be a good journalist. Paying attention to details and doing research in advance is one thing, but putting passion into every article is another thing, as sometimes fatigue takes over enthusiasm. Learning how to tactfully word the smartest questions as well as how to politely approach interviewees benefited me abundant improvement in social skills and critical thinking. By virtue of the brilliant project, I was also able to make new friends who will remain friends for ever. South Korea in general and the OCA Youth Reporter Project in particular was a unique experience that I felt endlessly fortunate to be a part of. The trip left me with lasting impressions, which will always be gleeful and remarkable when I look back on my eight marvellous days at the Incheon Asian Games 2014.
Victory Ceremony attendants at the 17th Asian Games.
Incheon 2014 Facts and Figures Opening Ceremony: Closing Ceremony: Opened by: Closed by: Slogan: Sports: Events: NOCS: Athletes: Male: Female: Media: Broadcasting: Press/Photographers: Ticket Sales: Ticket Revenue: Accumulative TV viewership: Transport:
September 19 October 4 Park Geun-Hye, President, Republic of Korea Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, President, OCA Diversity Shines Here 36 439 45 9,501 5,823 3,678 9,700 6,500 3,200 1.25 million US$27 million 1.3 billion 2,048 vehicles, comprised of 902 limousines, 363 mini-buses and 783 buses
*figures provided by Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee
The eye-catching Main Press Centre - home to over 3,000 reporters and photographers
Page 09
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 final medals table – Incheon 2014 Men Rank
Women
NOC
Total
Mixed
Total
Total
Total
Total
Rank by Total
1
CHN
67
44
39
150
83
62
41
186
1
2
3
6
151
108
83
342
1
2
KOR
38
40
52
130
35
28
29
92
6
3
3
12
79
71
84
234
2
3
JPN
33
40
41
114
13
33
31
77
1
3
5
9
47
76
77
200
3
4
KAZ
19
12
16
47
9
11
17
37
0
0
0
0
28
23
33
84
4
5
IRI
19
11
11
41
2
7
7
16
0
0
0
0
21
18
18
57
5
6
THA
4
3
11
18
8
3
17
28
0
1
0
1
12
7
28
47
8
7
PRK
4
7
2
13
6
4
12
22
1
0
0
1
11
11
14
36
11
8
IND
6
6
17
29
4
4
19
27
1
0
0
1
11
10
36
57
5
9
TPE
2
8
11
21
8
9
11
28
0
1
1
2
10
18
23
51
7
10
QAT
9
0
3
12
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
10
0
4
14
19
11
UZB
6
11
17
34
3
3
4
10
0
0
0
0
9
14
21
44
9
12
BRN
3
4
3
10
6
2
1
9
0
0
0
0
9
6
4
19
17
13
HKG
3
7
10
20
3
4
12
19
0
1
2
3
6
12
24
42
10
14
MAS
2
7
9
18
3
7
5
15
0
0
0
0
5
14
14
33
13
15
SIN
1
2
8
11
3
4
5
12
1
0
0
1
5
6
13
24
14
16
MGL
3
3
5
11
2
1
7
10
0
0
0
0
5
4
12
21
15
17
INA
1
2
4
7
3
2
4
9
0
1
3
4
4
5
11
20
16
18
KUW
3
5
3
11
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
3
5
4
12
20
19
KSA
2
2
1
5
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
3
3
1
7
21
20
MYA
1
0
1
2
1
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
4
27
21
VIE
0
3
12
15
1
7
13
21
0
0
0
0
1
10
25
36
11
22
PHI
1
3
7
11
0
0
4
4
0
0
0
0
1
3
11
15
18
23
PAK
0
1
3
4
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
5
25
23
TJK
1
1
2
4
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
5
25
25
IRQ
1
0
3
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
4
27
25
UAE
0
0
3
3
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
4
27
27
SRI
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
33
28
CAM
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
36
29
MAC
0
2
0
2
0
1
4
5
0
0
0
0
0
3
4
7
21
30
KGZ
0
2
3
5
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
4
6
23
31
JOR
0
2
2
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
4
27
32
TKM
0
0
4
4
0
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
5
6
23
33
BAN
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
31
33
LAO
0
0
2
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
31
35
AFG
0
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
33
35
LIB
0
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
33
37
NEP
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
36
Page 10
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 China’s medal machine rumbles on
O
lympic super power China continued to dominate the Asian Games at Incheon 2014, winning 34 per cent of the gold medals on offer across 36 sports and finishing more than 100 medals clear of the second-ranked team in total medals, Korea. China amassed 151 gold medals in 439 events, with 108 silver and 83 bronze for a total of 342. Korea won the race against Japan for second place in the table by collecting 79 gold, 71 silver and 84 bronze for a total of 234. Japan came in third on both counts – gold and total medals – with 47-76-77 for 200, while Kazakhstan ended fourth with 2823-33 for 84. Iran completed the top five by winning 21 gold, 18 silver and 18 bronze for 57 total medals. East Asia proved to be the strongest of the five OCA zones with five teams ranked in the top 10 – China, Korea and Japan at 1-2-3 followed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in seventh place and Chinese Taipei in ninth. 28 of the 45 National Olympic Committees went home with gold.
A familiar sight at Incheon 2014 - the flag of China on its way to the top of the pole.
Thailand led the South East Asia zone by finishing in sixth place. India was the top-ranked team from South Asia with an eighth-place effort.
37 NOCs won at least one medal of some colour, leaving eight NOCs empty-handed.
Indonesia, host of the next Asian Games in 2018, came in 17th with four gold, five silver and 11 bronze for 20 medals in total – a performance it will aim to better significantly in four years’ time on home soil.
It’s a 1-3 finish for China in women’s beach volleyball, with Thailand taking the silver.
China’s Wang Qiang attracts plenty of media attention after winning the women’s tennis singles.
Page 11
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
IAGOC Vice President Kwon Kyung Sang presents a Tissot watch to DPRK weightlifters Om Yun-chol (left) and Kim Un-guk.
Page 12
Chinese Taipei’s Lin Tzu Chi shows off her weightlifting gold medal in the women’s 63kg.
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 Vision 2014 produces Asian Games gold
Sorn Seavmey – the pride of Cambodia and of Vision 2014.
T
he ambitious Vision 2014 programme run by the OCA and Incheon Metropolitan City produced a golden result at the Incheon Asian Games when Cambodia’s Sorn Seavmey, 19, won the women’s -73kg taekwondo title. Not only was it the first gold medal for Cambodia in Asian Games history, it was the crowning glory of the eight-year Vision 2014 project offering technical assistance to smaller NOCs in a bid to close the gap on the continent’s sporting super powers. When the dust had settled on the 17th Asian Games, organisers of the OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 announced details of their project: 696 athletes in 12 sports from 30 NOCs were trained in Incheon from 2007-2014 97 athletes in nine sports from 20 NOCs who participated in Vision 2014 took part in the Incheon Asian Games Vision 2014 graduates obtained a total of seven medals - 1 gold, 1 silver and 5 bronze In addition, one athlete reached the semi-finals and 14 qualified for the top eight Hyunjung Lee, Coordinator for the OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 programme, was more than satisfied with the golden result of this initiative.
“The Vision 2014 programme not only achieved friendship and harmony among Asian NOCs and Incheon and OCA but also yielded fruitful results, as the figures show,” she said. “It has attained its original goal of achieving balanced sports development in Asia through successful and harmonious management by OCA and Incheon Metropolitan City.”
Vision 2014 medal-winners at Incheon Asian Games Gold (1) Sorn Seavmey (Cambodia),
women’s -73kg taekwondo Silver (1) Gulbadam Babamuratova (Turkmenistan),
women’s 52kg judo Bronze (5) Paul Marton Dela Cruz (Philippines),
men’s archery compound Farkhod Negmatov (Tajikistan),
men’s -80kg taekwondo Alisher Gulov (Tajikistan),
men’s +87kg taekwondo Mohru Halimova (Tajikistan),
women’s +73kg taekwondo Muhammed Waseem (Pakistan),
men’s 52kg boxing
Page 13
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
Athletes fro Are A bIG hIt K-Pop culture is sweeping W hile the world in terms of music and Korean drama, the Incheon Asian Games witnessed a new phenomenon: DPRK-Pop!
The North Korean flag flies in the Songdo sunshine.
Athletes and officials from the North proved wildly popular in the South with spectators and media alike, as the Olympic Movement in Asia built a bridge between the two sides and brought them together in a fitting tribute to the Incheon 2014 theme tune “Only One”. The frenzy began at Incheon International Airport on the evening of Thursday, September 11, when the first batch of athletes and officials arrived on a direct flight from Pyongyang, capital of DPR Korea.
Unification supporters at Incheon Airport.
Onlookers were bemused by the scenes as banks of TV cameras, photographers and media assembled in the Arrivals Hall, waiting to greet the vanguard from the North. There was even a small group of unification campaigners to cheer the athletes, and a huge security presence to make sure things ran smoothly. Dressed in dazzling white blazers and blue slacks or skirts, the DPRK athletes walked the gauntlet of media to the team buses, waiting to whisk them to the Athletes’ Village at Guwol with full police escort.
JS 615 arrives from Pyongyang.
Page 14
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
om the north In the south From this point on there was no escaping the Asian Games glare, and organising committee IAGOC issued a daily bulletin of training times for the DPRK athletes to cope with the demand. In the opening ceremony on September 19 they were greeted as heroes, and their athletes were cheered on in every sport by a warm and generous home crowd. Eleven gold medals, backed up with 11 silver and 14 bronze for 36 in total, lifted DPRK to seventh in the medals table and prompted the following tribute from the Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang: “The signal achievements, scored by the DPRK athletes at the 17th Asian Games, have put the local people into tumult of joy, greatly inspiring them in their efforts to build a highly civilised nation under the guidance of supreme leader Kim Jong Un.”
The first batch of DPRK athletes arrive at Incheon Airport.
The media were out in force to cover DPRK athletes.
To round off a highly successful Asian Games participation, two high-ranking officials from North Korea – Hwang Pyong-so, Vice Chairman of the National Defence Commission, and ChoeRyong-hae, Secretary of the Ruling Workers’ Party - made an unexpected visit to the closing ceremony to cheer for their delegation. Kim Un-ju…DPRK world record-breaker.
Page 15
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
out and about with the oCA Presid
Thumbs up from the OCA President and athletes.
Sheikh Ahmad signs a baseball.
Sheikh Ahmad throws the ceremonial pitch at a baseball game.
Page 16
Sheikh Ahmad attends the OCA Partnership Summit at Songdo Convensia on September 21.
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
dent at the Incheon Asian Games
The OCA President with weightlifting officials.
The OCA President celebrates Saudi Arabia’s 84th National Day.
The OCA President with Village Mayor Elisa Lee.
Admiring the decorations in the athletes’ activity centre.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the photo exhibition of OCA photographer Kim Min Jae outside Songdo Convensia.
Page 17
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 hagino joins samsung mVP roll of honour total - for the 20-year-old Japanese swimmer at Incheon 2014, as he followed up with victory in the men’s 200m and 400m individual medley and the 4 x 200m freestyle relay. This made him an early front-runner in the race for the coveted Samsung MVP, and he was duly named in a shortlist of eight candidates presented to the media by the selection panel. Almost 1,600 members of the media voted for their MVP from October 1-3 – and any athlete could be chosen, not just from the eight recommendations. The announcement was made official on the morning of the last day of the Games, and Hagino received his prize at the closing ceremony. “I did not expect this at all,” he said. “I want to thank my family and my teammates.”
Japanese swimmer Kosuke Hagino.
I
t was billed as the Asian Games showdown between two Olympic champions – hometown hero Park Tae-hwan and Chinese giant Sun Yang in the men’s 200 metres freestyle final. But someone forgot to tell Kosuke Hagino, who had been dubbed the “Japanese Michael Phelps” by Tokyo media coming into the Asian Games due to his all-round strength and versatility. With a deafening roar from the packed stands on the opening night of the swimming, Park and Sun put on a tremendous show, only for Hagino to stun rivals and spectators alike by touching first to take the gold medal.
With the Rio Olympics in 2016, Hagino will be a strong contender with his Incheon experience and multiple medals behind him. “I want to do well at the Rio Olympics two years from now and also at the Tokyo Olympics in six years’ time,” he added. “It was a pleasure and a great experience to race here against great athletes.” The other seven nominees were: Nam Hyun-hee (Korea, fencing), Kim Jae-bum (Korea, judo), Yao Jinnan (China, artistic gymnastics), Suriyan Peachan (Thailand, sepaktakraw), Cao Yifei (China, shooting), Kim Un-guk (DPR Korea, weightlifting) and Nicol David (Malaysia, squash)
It would be the first of four gold medals - and seven medals in
Samsung MVP Roll of Honour Bangkok 1998 – Koji Ito (Japan, athletics) Busan 2002 – Kosuke Kitajima (Japan, swimming) Doha 2006 – Park Tae-hwan (Korea, swimming) Guangzhou 2010 – Lin Dan (China, badminton) Incheon 2014 – Kosuke Hagino (Japan, swimming)
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OCA Media Committee Chairman Charles Lo (left) is pictured with Lee Yung-kook of Samsung Electronics with the impressive Samsung MVP trophy. Mr Lo was a member of the steering committee and selection panel.
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 Kazakhstan wins gold in Asian kids’ art competition
O
ne of the most eyecatching attractions in the Asian Games Athletes’ Village was an exhibition of artwork by the finalists of a continent-wide competition run by the OCA’s Culture Committee.
The committee invited the 45 National Olympic Committees to organise their own Asian Kids’ Art Competition in the build-up to the Asian Games. The winning entry from each NOC was sent to the organisers, who selected the best candidates for display inside the athletes’ activity centre during the Games. From September 21 to October 1, the athletes could select their favourite entry - voting by number only, as the name of the artist and country/region of the NOC was withheld. The entries were so impressive that 2,700 athletes took part in the vote. The result was as follows:
Gold medal: Entry No. 015 - Dinmukhamed Zhapanov, Kazakhstan Silver medal: Entry No. 011 - Victor Emmanuel Carmelo P. Nadera II, Philippines Bronze medal: Entry No. 018 - Noora Khalid Abduwahad Abdulrahman, United Arab Emirates. The gold, silver and bronze medallists received their prizes from the OCA President at the closing ceremony on October 4. In addition, a certificate of participation will be awarded to Le Thu Phuong from Vietnam and Ugyen Phuntsho from Bhutan. Mohammad Al Kamali, Chairman of the OCA Culture Committee, thanked the OCA for all their support in organizing the Asian Kids’ Art Competition to provide a fresh perspective on the youth, sports and cultural festival that is the Asian Games.
The winning entry is displayed at the closing ceremony.
Gold: Zhapanov Dinmukhamed from Kazakhstan.
Silver: Victor Emmanuel Carmelo P. Nadera II from Philippines.
Bronze: Noora Khalid Abduwahad Abdulrahman from the UAE.
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opening Ceremony highlights 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
K-Pop sensation PSY delighted the crowd with an energetic “Gangnam Style�.
The colourful opening ceremony.
President Park Geun-Hye enjoys the opening ceremony.
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Jumping for joy at the opening ceremony.
Closing Ceremony highlights 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
SISTAR perform at the closing ceremony.
A taekwondo exhibition delights the crowd.
A taste of Indonesia ahead of the 2018 Asian Games.
North Korean officials attend the closing ceremony.
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17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 fun and friendship on oCA youth reporter Project
Yu Byungjin of IAGOC shows the young reporters round the beach volleyball venue.
The seven YRP students on the Seoul city tour.
T
he 17th Asian Games was the setting for the third OCA Youth Reporter Project, held in conjunction with the Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee.
observed the Asian Games from September 27 to October 4 and submitted articles on a regular basis for the OCA website, www.ocasia.org.
The YRP brought together seven students aged from 14 to 17 – four from Incheon and one student each from Cambodia, Vietnam and Tajikistan.
Their tasks included reporting on a gold medal-winning athlete, compiling an athlete’s profile, touring the Athletes’ Village, writing an article on a Games-related topic such as WADA or the Food Fair, and a summary of their experiences.
They had all taken part - and excelled - in the YRP hosted by their own National Olympic Committee as part of the OCA Fun Run and Learn campaign to promote the 17th Asian Games, and this was the third YRP at an OCA event following the 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Incheon and the 2nd Asian Youth Games in Nanjing in 2013.
Their itinerary also included a sightseeing trip to Seoul as part of the OCA VIP programme, as well as a welcome dinner in a Korean BBQ restaurant in Songdo hosted by the OCA Media Committee Chairman, Charles Lo. The OCA would like to thank IAGOC, Samsung and other stakeholders for their support, in particular Yu Byungjin and Youn Woori from IAGOC for their collaboration and coordination.
Supervised by staff from OCA and IAGOC, the students
Read some of the students’ work on Pages 8-9 and over the following three pages.
KBS follows the young reporters for a TV documentary on the OCA YRP.
Park Min-sung takes a souvenir photo with Hong Kong karate player Chris Cheng Tsz Man.
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17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
the taste of Asia at Incheon food festival By Park Minsung, OCA Youth Reporter, Korea
T
he Asian Games is not only about sport. Culture plays a big part, too, and for this reason I decided to visit the Asian Food Festival in the Northern Public Square of the Asiad Main Stadium.
the Korean traditional snack HyeonRyangGwa and Korea’s famous ship - built by Lee Sun Shin and known as Geobukseon (Turtle Ship) - made out of chocolate and other snacks.
The festival was divided into three sections: the best food restaurant, an event hall and a culture show. The restaurant sold food from 10 different countries: Sri Lanka, Iran, India, Indonesia, China, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Thailand and Korea. The event hall was like a food museum, exhibiting the types of food we eat at a Buddhist Temple and during a traditional family table setting, and we could make a kimchi pancake and dumplings and cook bibimbab. Staff also prepared and gave out injeolmi - the Korean rice cake - and there was a cooking concert performed by famous chefs. The exhibits included a mini Asiad Main Stadium made from
The Asiad Main Stadium made from traditional Korean snacks.
A big cheer for wADA’s outreach programme By Namgoong Min, OCA Youth Reporter, Korea
T
he OCA’s young reporters visited the Athletes’ Village on Wednesday, October 1, and there was a place that caught everyone’s attention: the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Outreach programme, located in the lobby of the athletes’ dining room.
an international sports event, a programme such as this is indispensable. Let’s give a big cheer for both the athletes and for those who work for WADA that makes our sport fair and enjoyable.
The goal of the programme is to raise awareness about antidoping, to promote clean sport and, most importantly, to educate the athletes about what is allowed and what is not. What we really have to focus on is the way the WADA staff attain their goals. They don’t just make the athletes sit down and listen to a list of what is allowed and what is prohibited. By playing a quiz that is in 34 languages, athletes are able to remember the information more clearly, and they get a chance to take an active part and to participate together in the programme. Those who answered eight questions correctly out of 10 won a watch and were invited to sign up to the pledge for clean sport. Since doping is one of the most serious problems during
Athletes pledge to Play True.
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17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
‘only one’ Korea at Incheon Asian Games By Kang Juhyuk, OCA Youth Reporter, Korea
T
here was a lot of speculation as to whether North Korea would send its athletes to the 17th Asian Games in South Korea. In the end they did – and, although the two sides have had their differences, it looked as if the two countries had become one. At the opening ceremony, when the North Korean athletes came out for the team parade, thousands of South Koreans gave them a standing ovation and cheered for them all the way round the stadium.
This young reporter was hopeful that one day - through the help of the Asian Games, which brings Asian nations together - the two Koreas can set aside their differences and reunite as one. Just like the theme song for the 17th Asian Games – “Only One”.
Even without their own band of cheerleaders this time, unlike at the 2002 Busan Asian Games, the North Korean athletes had no problem finding a source of encouragement as the South Korean spectators cheered for the North like their own athletes at every competition venue. North Korea deciding to participate at the Asian Games being held in the South was a good gesture and the athletes seemed to be having a good time at the Athletes’ Village as their faces were filled with smiles.
Ra Unsim (L) of North Korea and Lim Seonjoo of South Korea get together
Ancient and modern on seoul city tour By Kimleng Tieng, OCA Youth Reporter, Cambodia
T
he OCA’s seven young reporters joined the VIP tour to Seoul on Monday, September 29, and witnessed ancient and modern Korea on a wonderful day out.
was the star of the menu. The seafood pancake was also delicious, as were the small dishes of pickles and the everpresent kimchi.
For many of the first-time visitors to Korea, this tour was particularly appreciated as it took us to the capital to see the Korea that we all know from travel shows, TV news and even from the popular Korean dramas.
We needed a good walk after such a tasty lunch, and the shops of Insa-dong were waiting for us with their colourful trinkets and crafts.
The first port of call was the 600-year-old Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was packed with tourists even on a rainy day. If I compared the ancient Gyeongbokgung Palace with the Cambodian Royal Palace, there seemed to be quite a few differences. First, the Cambodian Royal Palace does not use the symbol of the dragon; instead we use the mythological creatures relevant to Buddhism and also Hinduism. Moreover, the Cambodian Royal Palace was made out of stone with golden gates which differ from the materials in the Gyeongbokgung Palace. We ate lunch in a typical Korean restaurant, where bibimbap
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Kimleng Tieng enjoys the Seoul city tour.
17th Asian Games Incheon 2014
Wang beats World No. 1 in women’s badminton final By JooMi Park, OCA Youth Reporter, Korea
W
orld No. 3 Wang Yihan upset the top-ranked Li Xuerui 2-1 in the all-China final of the women’s singles badminton competition at Gyeyang Gymnasium on Sunday, September 28. Li won the first set 21-11 but Wang came back to level the match by taking the second set 21-17. In the decider, Wang took the initiative and ran out a comfortable 21-7 winner to claim the gold medal from her World No. 1–ranked teammate.
said: “I made many mistakes in the third set, and Wang Yihan played very well. That’s why I lost.” Wang considers Korea, especially Incheon, as a lucky place for her because she won the junior world championship in Incheon in 2006. Now she has another gold medal to add to her collection.
The champion said: “There isn’t a special reason why I won this game. I just did my best. Compared to the world championships it feels like a greater honour to win the Asian Games. “I feel even happier because Chinese National Day, on October 1, is approaching. Lastly, I’d like to thank my coach for putting me in the team, even though I’m ranked lower than Li Xuerui.” Commenting on the one-sided third set, silver medallist Li
Wang Yihan, women’s badminton champion
Korean drama comes to life for athletes By Yosimin Avazbekova, OCA Youth Reporter, Tajikistan
W
ith Korean culture riding the crest of a wave around the world, it is an exciting time to be in Incheon for the 17th Asian Games.
Korean TV dramas such as “Boys Over Flowers” and “City Hunter” are extremely popular back home in the Philippines, and the 22-year-old athlete says his Incheon experience has opened his eyes to life in Korea.
Many of the athletes are able to experience the Korean lifestyle for the first time and taste the flavour of this dynamic country which has produced so many K-Pop music stars and popular TV dramas. One such athlete is Archand Christian Bagsit, a member of the Philippines track and field team. I was lucky enough to meet him at the Athletes’ Village dining hall and chat with him about his time in Incheon. Bagsit is one of the leading track athletes in South East Asia, having won the men’s 400 metres at the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar last December, as well as anchoring the 4 x 400m relay team to the gold medal. “I am really enjoying the friendly atmosphere of the Athletes’ Village,” he said. “It will leave me with a lot of happy memories of the Asian Games.”
Yosimin interviews Archand Christian Bagsit.
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17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 Asian Games scrapbook
Flag P laza for the - tranquil ve nue Team W Cerem elcome ony. t in the ting exhibi A weightlif llage. Athletes’ Vi
A promo banner in Central Park, Songdo.
IAGOC Pr
esiden Polyclin t Kim Young So ic medic al centr o opens the Athlete s’ Villag e in the e.
Outside the rugby stadium at Namdong.
The o in Inc bserver prog heon ramm for orga future ga e niser mes s.
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Preparing for the big kick-off at Incheon Stadium.
OCA H Jizhong on. Life Vice Pre (l the Inte eft) with IAGO sident Wei rnation al Broa C officials at dcast C entre.
rain....on the Smiling in the to Seoul. OCA VIP tour
Having fun at the Sri Lanka Team Welcome Ceremony.
Try o n
e of thes Food e...at the Festi val. Asian
news and sport from 45 noCs
Afghanistan Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, met with members of the NOC at the Presidential Palace, reports Bakhtar News from Kabul. The NOC members thanked the President for his support of the sports movement in Afghanistan and said this was a good time to develop sport in the country. The President praised the efforts of medal-winning athletes at the Asian Games for bringing honour to the Afghan nation and said the government would assist the NOC in developing sport at all levels. Bahrain The Bahrain Olympic Committee’s Sports Training and Development Section is organising a Level 2 National Coaching Programme course from November 16-29 as part of the section’s annual plan to qualify national officials working at national clubs and sports association. Level 2 focuses on a number of subjects related to coaching, such as setting up seasonal plans for sports teams, especially physical and tactical planning. It also includes the sports skills analysis and evaluation process, in addition to ways of avoiding injuries and the stages of growth and development. Bangladesh The 4th Sunnydale Games, introduced in 2011, were held at the Mohammadpur Physical College ground, with 36 English medium schools participating, reports The Daily Star. Students competed in six events - cricket, football, basketball, handball, volleyball and table tennis. Bhutan HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, Representative of His Majesty the King and President of the Bhutan Olympic Committee,
graced the opening ceremony of the World Taekwondo Federation extraordinary council meeting on October 10 as Guest of Honour. WTF President Dr Chung Won Choue conferred an honorary 7th Dan black belt to HRH in appreciation and recognition of Prince Jigyel’s outstanding contribution to the development of taekwondo in Bhutan. (www.bhutanolympiccommittee.org) Brunei Darussalam Brunei Darussalam NOC President HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah had a busy few days in Incheon, Korea, attending the Asian Games opening ceremony, the 33rd OCA General Assembly and the OCA Partnership Summit. He also spent time visiting the Brunei contingent and presenting medals in the women’s sabre individual fencing competition. Cambodia The NOC organised a training course for national umpires, referees and tournament organisers from October 20-25 under the presidency of HE Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of NOCC. The course was to train staff for the 9th SEA Table Tennis Championship 2014 from November 1-5 in Phnom Penh. (www.noccambodia.org) China The Chinese government has announced plans to develop the country’s sports industry and raise the sector’s annual output to 5 trillion yuan (US$813.87 billion) by 2025, reports Xinhua. The State Council, China’s Cabinet, unveiled measures on October 20 to accelerate the fast-growing industry’s development and get people exercising. Promoting fitness will become one of the government’s national strategies, the State Council said in a policy document. DPR Korea Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang reports that Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army, met with players who bagged gold medals at the 17th Asian Games and recent world championships and their coaches on October 19. DPRK won 11 gold medals at the Asiad, including the women’s football team, to finish in seventh place in the medals table. Hong Kong, China The Hong Kong team at the Incheon Asian Games was feted at a reception attended by C.Y. Leung, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong on Wednesday, October 15.
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news and sport from 45 noCs
Hong Kong’s largest ever squad of 468 athletes won a record 42 medals comprised of six gold, 12 silver and 24 bronze medals. India In an unprecedented move, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) has provisionally suspended L Sarita Devi for refusing to accept the bronze medal at the Asian Games in Incheon, reports The Times of India.
Japan The Japanese and Swedish NOCs signed a partnership agreement in Tokyo on October 10. IOC member and Japanese NOC President Tsunekazu Takeda and Swedish NOC President Stefan Lindeberg signed the agreement, which includes a programme of exchanges between the athletes, officials and coaches of the two NOCs, and an exchange of marketing knowledge and information. Details on www.joc.or.jp and www.sok.se.
Protesting against a verdict that cost her a berth in the final, Sarita refused to accept the medal on the podium and instead gave it to her opponent, South Korea’s Park Ji-Na. Indonesia From October 6-14 the Indonesian NOC conducted a Level 2 Technical Coaching Course in Shooting at the Atlet Century Hotel in Jakarta. The course was funded by a US$12,000 grant from Olympic Solidarity, who - in consultation with the International Shooting Sport Federation - assigned German expert Matthias Hann to conduct the course.
Jordan The Jordan Olympic Committee has launched an investigation into the under-performance of several sports at the Asian Games held in Incheon. Jordan won four medals, three in boxing and one in karate, but the JOC has reacted quickly following a number of disappointing performances and has formed a committee to investigate. The Kingdom took its largest ever delegation to an Asian Games of 156 athletes, officials and coaches who competed in 12 sports. (www.joc.jo) Kazakhstan
NOC President Mrs Rita Subowo, who is also an OCA Executive Board member, gave a talk to the 30 Indonesian coaches undertaking the course and highlighted the need for all coaches to gain international standard certification.
N.O.C.I.R.IRAN
Iran
Iranian athlete Hamid Sourian has topped the final United World Wrestling rankings for Greco-Roman, reports the Mehr News Agency in Tehran. Sourian won his sixth world title at 59kg, signalling his intentions to follow the road to Rio de Janeiro in 2016. (www.olympic.ir) Iraq Iraqi athlete Adnan Taes won the gold medal in the 800 metres at the Asian Games in Incheon, reports the National Iraqi News Agency. It was Iraq’s only gold medal of the Games, with three bronze for four total medals.
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IOC President Thomas Bach visited Almaty on a long-planned trip to the city and on the invitation of the NOC of Kazakhstan. The IOC President met with the NOC President, Temirkhan Dosmukhambetov, the Minister of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Arystanbek Muhamediuly, as well as the Mayor of Almaty, Akhmetzhan Yessimov. He also toured the winter sports facilities, which have already hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011 and are in the plans for Almaty’s bid to host the Olympic Winter Games in 2022. Korea South Korea’s Olympic short track champion Park Seung-hi will convert to speed skating for the new season, her agency in Seoul said. Brion Company announced that Park, who won two gold medals and one bronze at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, will enter the official time trial in speed skating, reports Yonhap News Agency. (www.sports.or.kr)
news and sport from 45 noCs
Kuwait
also to give talks at schools. The visit was organised by the Macau NOC and the government’s Sports Development Board.
The draw for the 17th Asian Club Handball League pitted Kuwaiti sides Al-Kuwait SC in Group A and Al-Qurain in Group B, reports the Kuwait News Agency. The stadium of Lekhwiya in Qatar will host the tournament from November 29-December 8. Group A comprises Qatari teams Lekhwiya and Al-Gharafa, Jordan’s Al-Sulta, Iran’s Thamin Al-Hijaj and Al-Qurain. Group B is Al-Kuwait, Qatar’s Al-Jaish, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khaleej, Iran’s Mayazumi and Oman’s AhliSadab. Kyrgyzstan The President of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, rewarded winners of international competitions in a special ceremony at the State Residence Ala-Archa on October 22 at Bishkek. Thus, by the presidential decision, 39 athletes and their coaches received a onetime fee, reports Kabar National News Agency. Laos
Malaysia Malaysia’s squash champion Nicol David was one of eight athletes at the Incheon Asian Games nominated for the Samsung MVP Award by the criteria and selection panel. Nicol won the women’s gold medal for the third consecutive Asiad and also led Malaysia to the women’s team title. Maldives Despite suffering some heavy defeats in team sports at the Incheon Asian Games, the Maldives Olympic Committee viewed the experience as a big step forward as they gained international exposure, especially the female athletes. (www.nocmaldives.org) Mongolia
The women’s doubles team earned the silver medal in sepaktakraw at the Incheon Asian Games, beating Vietnam 2-0 in the semi-finals before going down 2-0 to Myanmar in the gold medal match. Laos also won bronze medals in wushu and karate, reports the Lao News Agency. (www.kpl.net.la) Lebanon
Mongolia NOC celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first participation in the Summer Olympic Games at the National Park and Olympic House in Ulaanbaatar city. A 35-member team competed at Tokyo 1964 in athletics, cycling, gymnastics, shooting and wrestling. Mongolia NOC President D. Zagdsuren and Sports Vice Minister M. Tumenjargal awarded 16 Olympic legends, aged from 70 to 88, with IOC participant pins.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Abdel Mottaleb Hannawi, welcomed at his office the deputy minister, Simon Abi Ramia, on Wednesday, October 22. The pair discussed the issue of completing the Olympic swimming pool project in Dbayeh as well as that of developing Fouad Shehab Sports compound. Discussions also tackled the general situation as well as sport facilities, youth and sport issues, reports the National News Agency of the Lebanese Republic’s Ministry of Information. Macau, China Olympic Games and Asian Games swimming champions Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen of China visited Macau shortly after the Incheon Asian Games to hold a coaching clinic with the national team and
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news and sport from 45 noCs
Myanmar Sepaktakraw proved to be a happy hunting ground for Myanmar at the Incheon Asian Games, with all four medals – two gold, one silver and one bronze – coming in this SEA region specialty and securing a top 20 finish in the final rankings. Nepal The President of Nepal Olympic Committee, Mr. Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, held a send-off ceremony for athletes Dinesh Apher Surkhet and Kamana Bista Jajarkot and coaches Padma Chaudhari Dang Ram and Bahadur Oli Surkeht for the OCA Youth Camp in athletics at Doha, Qatar, from September 1-14. Oman Oman’s young sailing squad reached the Team Racing final of the 2014 International Optimist Dinghy Association African Championships in Morocco, setting a new benchmark for Oman Sail’s Omantel Youth Programme co-sponsored by Oman Shipping Company, reports the Times of Oman. In one of their most successful events to date, the six youngsters, representing four different sailing schools from across Oman, beat 12 other national teams from across Africa, Asia and Europe before coming second to Mozambique in the 2014 Optimist Team Racing Open African Championships. Pakistan The women’s cricket team was the pride of Pakistan after defending its Asian Games title at Incheon. It was Pakistan’s only gold medal of the 17thAsiad, with one silver and three bronze to finish equal 23rd.
with a series of tests and a workshop. The three-day training course brought together eight trainee employees from different departments of the Qatar Olympic Committee. (www.olympic.qa) Saudi Arabia The Saudi Press Agency reports that Prince Abdullah bin Musaed bin Abdulaziz, General President of Youth Welfare, received at his Riyadh office the Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lee Cheng Wen, on October 23. The Prince welcomed the Chinese Ambassador, commending the depth of relations between the two countries in various fields, particularly in youth and sport. He also asserted the keenness of the General Presidency for Youth Welfare on supporting and activating the areas of joint cooperation to enhance youth and sports ties between the Kingdom and the People’s Republic of China. Singapore On behalf of the IOC President Dr Thomas Bach, IOC member Ng Ser Miang awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal to Michael Hwang, 71, for his exceptional services to the Olympic movement in a ceremony at the Singapore Sports Museum. Mr Hwang has been involved with the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) since 2006 and has actively contributed to the impressive development of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for eight years. (www.snoc.org.sg)
Palestine Palestine’s football coach, Abdalnasser S H Barakat Morian, said Incheon 2014 had given his team the chance to show their love of football and that the players were anxious to share this passion with the global sports community at the Asian Games. Philippines London Olympian - and 2013 SEA Games champion - Daniel Caluag earned the Philippines’ only gold medal of the Incheon Asian Games by winning the BMX cycling. The Philippines added three silver and 11 bronze for 15 total medals and 22nd in the rankings. (www.olympic.ph) Qatar An Administrative Planning Course organised by the Qatar Olympic Academy concluded at the QOA HQ on Thursday, October 23,
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Sri Lanka Sri Lanka NOC and Korea NOC signed a Sports Exchange Programme Agreement with the purpose of strengthening friendship and developing the Olympic Movement in each country. The agreement was signed by Dr Kim Jung Haeng, KOC President, and by Mr Hemasiri Fernando, Sri Lanka NOC President, on September 30 at the Oakwood Premier Incheon in Korea. (www.srilankaolympic.org)
news and sport from 45 noCs
Syria Syria NOC focused on taekwondo in the OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 programme, with two invitational training camps for 14 athletes and one equipment support case. Chinese Taipei Thanks to some world record-breaking performances from their weightlifting team, Chinese Taipei finished ninth at the Incheon Asian Games with 10 gold medals, 18 silver and 23 bronze for 51 medals in total. Lin Tzu Chi, women’s 63kg weightlifting champion, said the gold medals were a true team effort, with the athletes supported by coaches, trainers, sports science and medical experts on the long journey to the top of the podium.
several GCC events was discussed, such as the 2nd GCC Games in Saudi Arabia in 2015, the 1st GCC Junior Beach Games in UAE, the 2nd GCC Beach Games in Qatar in April 2015 and the 4th GCC Women’s Games in Oman in March 2015. Uzbekistan
Tajikistan Dilshod Nazarov won a third consecutive Asian Games hammer title at Incheon 2014, fulfilling his role as favourite after taking the gold in 2006 and 2010. His best effort of 76.82m came in the fourth round. Tajikistan also won a silver and three bronze medals to finish in equal 23rd place. Thailand National golf coach Nithinan Hensirisakul stood down from his role after the team’s success at Incheon 2014. The 68-year-old coach guided his players to win Thailand’s first ever Asian Games medals in golf - one gold, one silver and two bronze, reports the Bangkok Post. In total, Thailand won 12 gold, seven silver and 28 bronze medals for 47 in total and sixth in the rankings – highest of all SEA nations. Timor-Leste The OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 final report shows that Timor-Leste received equipment support in football on two occasions, in 2012 and 2013. Turkmenistan The capital Ashgabat was confirmed as the venue for the next OCA General Assembly, in September 2015, by the 33rd OCA General Assembly in Incheon on September 20. Ashgabat will host the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017, so next year’s elective General Assembly will give delegates the chance to see the rapid sports development and new infrastructure of the Olympic complex. United Arab Emirates Dubai hosted the 81st meeting of the Executive Office of Presidents of the GCC National Olympic Committees. The organisation of
More than 280 athletes from 42 nations entered the international judo grand prix at Tashkent, which opened on October 16. The grand prize and rankings offered a chance to book a ticket for the Rio Olympics in 2016, reports the Uzbekistan National News Agency. The prestigious tournament was organised by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan jointly with the NOC and the Judo Federation under the aegis of the International Judo Federation. Vietnam Wushu athlete Duong Thuy Vi, 21, won Vietnam’s only gold medal at the 17th Asian Games. The 2013 SEA Games champion was declared the winner after scoring 9.71 for her sword swings and 9.7 for her so-called “dance with the lance”, reports Thanh Nien News. Vietnam won 36 medals in total at Incheon 2014, including 25 bronze. Yemen The final report of the OCA-Incheon Vision 2014 programme showed that Yemen NOC attended invitational training camps in three sports – taekwondo in 2012, 2013 and 2014, judo in 2012 and 2013 and wrestling in 2012 and 2013. A total of 33 athletes were involved.
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oCA sports Diary 2014
Samoa: September 5 – 12 5th Commonwealth Youth Games
Bangkok, Thailand: November 05 Olympic Solidarity Commission
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: September 7 – 8 34th OCA General Assembly
Bangkok, Thailand: November 06 ANOC Continental Associations meetings
2016
Bangkok, Thailand: November 06 ANOC Commissions and Working Groups
Lillehammer, Norway: February 26 – March 6 II Winter Youth Olympic Games
Bangkok, Thailand: November 07 65th ANOC Executive Council Meeting
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: August 5 – 21 XXXI Olympic Summer Games
Bangkok, Thailand: November 07 ANOC Gala Awards Dinner
Nha Trang, Vietnam: September 24 – October 3 5th Asian Beach Games
Bangkok, Thailand: November 08 ANOC General Assembly
2017
Phuket, Thailand: November 14 – 23 4th Asian Beach Games, Phuket 2014
Sapporo, Japan: February 19 – 26 8th Asian Winter Games
Monaco: December 05 – 07 IOC Executive Board meeting
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (Dates to be confirmed) 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
Monaco: December 08 – 09 Extraordinary IOC Session, Monte Carlo
Colombo, Sri Lanka (Dates to be confirmed) 3rd Asian Youth Games
2015 Kuwait: January 22 – 24 2nd Asian Athletes’ Forum
2018
Singapore: June 05 – 16 28th South East Asian Games
PyeongChang, Korea: February 09 – 25 XXIII Olympic Winter Games
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: July 30 – August 3 128th IOC Session
Indonesia (Date to be confirmed) 18th Asian Games
OCA Sponsors Club
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www.ocasia org