The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) is eyeing at least three medals from cricket and kabaddi disciplines with a little hope towards achieve something from archery and shooting in the 17th Asian Games set to begin from September 19 in Incheon, South Korea.
Following a poor display in Glasgow Commonwealth Games the BOA earlier omitted nine disciplines from the initial 21 before adding gymnastics. Despite only 13 disciplines, a contingent of around 166 members (126 athletes from 13 disciplines, 40 coaches and managers) will fly to Incheon.
BOA secretary general Syed Shahed Reza put his medal hope on three events and said, “We are going to Incheon with a hope to win medals in the men’s and women’s cricket and women’s kabaddi team who won us medals in the Guangzhou Asian Games.
“We hope they will repeat their good performance. Shooting and archery on their day holds the capability to achieve something,” said Shahed Reza at an official press conference at the BOA auditorium yesterday.
This will be the first time Bangladesh will participate in the Asian Games without any athletes from swimming and athletics while the contingent comprises of athletes from fencing, wushu, taekwondo and karate – disciplines where there are no hope of winning a medal.
“There is nothing to be dishearten or discouraged about because we will grow up the athletes from childhood and the existent athletes must have to perform to ensure their participation in the multi-sports game,” said Shahed when asked whether the omission of eight disciplines would discourage the athletes.
Until the 2010 Asian Games, the men’s kabaddi team have always returned home with a medal since the discipline’s introduction to the games in 1990. This time they are placed in the same group with India and Pakistan and carries little hope of achieving any honour while shooting and archery are also lacking in confidence.
“Archers from Asia dominate the world ranking, so it is hard for us to win a medal but we will put our best to do something,” said archer Emdadul Haque Milon.
Youth and Sports Minister Biren Sikder was present during the occasion and met the athletes and officials of the Asian Games contingent.
