JAKARTA (Reuters) - China’s Asian Games domination is set to extend to track and field this week with an in-form Su Bingtian expected to provide the gloss with his blistering pace in the blue riband 100 metres race.
Su became the first Asian-born sprinter in June to run the distance under 10 seconds when twice in the space of eight days he recorded times of 9.91 to match the Asian record held by Qatar’s Nigerian-born Femi Ogunode.
However, the athletics competition at the 18th Asian Games will take place without one of its leading lights with world and double Asiad high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim missing out due to an ankle injury.
China and Japan have played out a fierce rivalry in the pool in the Indonesian capital but the former’s track and field hopes have suffered a jolt in the absence of in-form sprinter Xie Zhenye, who recently pulled out with an ankle injury.
Su and Xie, also a member of the relay team, were pushing each other to new heights with the latter having also run under 10 seconds this season.
“Xie’s withdrawal is definitely a big loss for us and affects the whole team’s morale, but it opens up opportunities for our young guns to be honed, which is a positive thing for the long run,” Su told China Daily this week.
Indonesian sprinter Lalu Muhammad Zohri will carry the nation’s hopes in the 100m after the 18-year-old produced a blistering finish to win at the under-20 world championships in Finland last month, clocking 10.18 seconds.
Up for grabs at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium will be 48 gold medals - second only to swimming - with the men’s marathon kicking off the competition on Saturday. The sprinters will compete on Sunday.
Ogunode, who won the 200m and 400m double for Qatar as a teenager in Guangzhou, beat Su to the 100m gold four years ago in an Asian Games record time of 9.93. The Qatari also won the 200m in Incheon.
Su, who won gold in the last two Asian Games in the 4x100m relay, will also be challenged by Japan’s Yoshihide Kiryu and Aska Cambridge who won silver in the sprint relay at the Rio Olympics.
“I don’t pay much attention to any opponents; I only care about how much I can bring out in the final,” said Su.
Wei Yongli will be China’s best bet to bag the women’s 100m and 200m titles having recently broken the 11-second barrier in the shorter distance.
Women’s shot put world champion Gong Lijiao is unlikely to be challenged in her event while javelin thrower Lyu Huihui, who won the bronze at the London championships last year, is also expected to add to China’s gold tally.
Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Christian Radnedge