An array of Olympians and stars of sports old and new arrive in the South Korean city of Incheon for the 17th Asian Games this month, bringing together some 10,000 athletes for a 16-day multi-sport spectacular, second only in scale to the Summer Olympics.
From weightlifting to wushu, rowing to rugby sevens and swimming to sepaktakraw, the Games will showcase elite Asian talent in 28 Olympic and eight non-Olympic sports from September 19 to October 4, with a total of 439 gold medals up for grabs.
While China are certainties to top the medal count for the ninth straight Games, South Korea have set an ambitious target of 90 golds, though the hosts would probably settle for less as long as they finish above fierce rivals Japan.
India, perennial underachievers in world sport, are determined to improve on the 14 golds they won four years ago in Guangzhou, while Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand will battle it out for bragging rights in Southeast Asia.
Chinese powerhouse delegation
Troubled by few financial concerns, China, as expected, is sending the biggest delegation to Incheon with 899 athletes.
Swimmers Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen both made their big breakthroughs in Guangzhou by each winning two gold medals before repeating the feat at the London Olympics in 2012.
The Chinese are likely to dominate swimming, diving, gymnastics, table tennis and badminton and field heavy favourites across many of the 36 sports in Incheon.
For most of the continent's athletes the lure of an Asian Games gold medal rests in the fame and fortune it often brings, but for South Korean men, there is a bigger prize at stake — an exemption from two years of military service.
South Korea requires all able-bodied men to serve around two years in the military. However, in a bid to foster elite athletes, South Korea offers exemptions to those winning gold at the Asian Games or a medal of any colour at the Olympics.
The Japanese are sending 716 athletes to South Korea, with their swim team expected to spearhead the gold medal hunt following their seven wins at the Pan Pacific Championships in Australia last month.
While the powerhouses of Northeast Asia slug it out for the gold medals, the smaller nations will also be vying to get on the podium.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2014.
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