Japan puts positive spin on Asian swimming defeat
Alastair Himmer
Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) officials are trying to put a positive spin on their demoralising defeat by China in the Asian Games swimming competition.
The Chinese exorcised the ghosts of Bangkok in 1998 by finishing with 20 gold medals to 11 for Japan, who were also overtaken by hosts South Korea in the overall medal standings on a bleak Saturday for the Japanese delegation.
But the JOC refused to down-size their target of 65 gold medals on Sunday, despite having collected just 26 at the halfway point of the 14th Asian Games.
"(Kosuke) Kitajima set a world record in the swimming and we are hoping for the same kind of results as the baton passes to our track and field athletes," said Japanese chef de mission Teruji Kogake.
"There are still a number of events left in which we expect medals, so 65 gold medals will remain the target until the end."
The track and field competition gets under way on Monday at Pusan Asiad Main Stadium.
Kitajima broke the oldest long-course world record in men's swimming when he clocked two minutes, 9.97 seconds to win the 200 metres breaststroke title in midweek, finishing with three gold medals.
SWIMMING UPSETS
"I want to break the one-minute mark in the 100 metres and get under two minutes, nine seconds in the 200," said Kitajima, who eclipsed the previous world mark of 2:10.16 set by American Mike Barrowman at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
"My main goal is to win gold medals at the world championships next year and at the (2004) Athens Olympics."
Asked why Japan were outclassed by China after winning 15 gold medals to 13 for the Chinese at the last Asian Games in 1998, deputy chef de mission Reiichi Matsunaga bristled at suggestions that Japan had been over-confident.
"We did not underestimate China. We had some upsets in swimming. A number of young swimmers, who have their sights on Athens and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, came through for China," he said.
"We set the bar high with a target of 65 gold medals and we knew it would be hard. But we remain confident of catching South Korea. More important is that we are building for Athens."
South Korea won seven gold medals on Sunday to leapfrog Japan with 29 golds. China are way out ahead on 85 at the close of competition.
