ABOUT 250 athletes from 31 countries
ABOUT 250 athletes from 31 countries will take part in the Third Asian Indoor Championships in Athletics to be held at Aspire from February 12 to 14.
“The indoor championships are the last chance for Asian athletes to qualify for the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships to be held in Valencia next month,†Qatar athletics chief Dahlan al-Hamad told a press conference yesterday.
Indoor events are a relatively new phenomenon in Asia, but al-Hamad said the competitions would be keen.
“True this is the Olympic year and athletes have different priorities, but at this point of the year the Doha event is a good chance for them to test their abilities,†al-Hamad added.
Al-Hamad said that with Qatar scheduled to host the 2010 World Indoor Championships, the Asian event would represent a good opportunity for the hosts to develop its organisational and administrative skills.
“In 2006 Doha hosted the best and most successful Asian Games in history but the indoor event is slightly different and we hope to train a lot of staff for the big events of the future,†he said
The athletics chief said as of now 166 men and 75 women have been listed to take part in the event although the numbers could change.
“The final figure could be a bit different,†he said. “We will know that only at the technical committee meeting a day before the event starts.â€
Qatar, who won one gold and three silver medals at the 2006 championships in Thailand, will be fielding 16 men and four women athletes in the Doha event.
“We expect them to do well, but we don’t have any unrealistic ambitions,†he said
The countries taking part: Bahrain, Chinese Taipei, East Timor, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, China, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, UAE and Uzbekistan.
“The indoor championships are the last chance for Asian athletes to qualify for the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships to be held in Valencia next month,†Qatar athletics chief Dahlan al-Hamad told a press conference yesterday.
Indoor events are a relatively new phenomenon in Asia, but al-Hamad said the competitions would be keen.
“True this is the Olympic year and athletes have different priorities, but at this point of the year the Doha event is a good chance for them to test their abilities,†al-Hamad added.
Al-Hamad said that with Qatar scheduled to host the 2010 World Indoor Championships, the Asian event would represent a good opportunity for the hosts to develop its organisational and administrative skills.
“In 2006 Doha hosted the best and most successful Asian Games in history but the indoor event is slightly different and we hope to train a lot of staff for the big events of the future,†he said
The athletics chief said as of now 166 men and 75 women have been listed to take part in the event although the numbers could change.
“The final figure could be a bit different,†he said. “We will know that only at the technical committee meeting a day before the event starts.â€
Qatar, who won one gold and three silver medals at the 2006 championships in Thailand, will be fielding 16 men and four women athletes in the Doha event.
“We expect them to do well, but we don’t have any unrealistic ambitions,†he said
The countries taking part: Bahrain, Chinese Taipei, East Timor, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, China, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, UAE and Uzbekistan.
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