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Bahrain and China share track spoils as Kim kickstarts pro golf career
2006-12-11
Bahrain and China shared the spoils on the track as South Korea's Kim Kyung-Tae kickstarted his professional golf career by winning the men's Asian Games title. But a fourth positive drug test tainted the action, with a second weightlifter from Myanmar disqualified. Oo Mya Sanda, 29, was also stripped of the silver medal she won in the women's 75kg category. Fellow Myanmar competitor Kyi Kyi Than was disqualified on Saturday for failing a drugs test while Uzbek weightlifters Elmira Ramileva and Alexander Urinov have also been thrown out for doping offences. Despite this, Olympic Council of Asia director general Husain al-Musallem said given there had been more than 800 drugs tests so far, four positives was not a bad percentage. "We are fighting the cheats. Hopefully in the future we can eliminate all cheats," he said. Bahrain's quest to top the athletics medals table was revived with two more titles, but they face a strong challenge from China who bagged another three gold. Kenyan-born Asian record holder Yusuf Saad Kamel won the men's 800m in impressive fashion for Bahrain's first and Ruqaya Al Ghasara, wearing the traditional Arab hijab which covers her head, took the women's 200m. China's medals all came from women, with discus champion Song Aimin's winning throw longer than the silver medallist in the men's event. They found a new Olympic hope in Xue Fei, who powered to the women's 5000 metres title aged just 17, out-running Japan's Kayo Sugihara and Jaisha Orchatteri of India. Their other gold came through Xie Limei, who won the triple jump. Kamel bided his time until the business end of the 800m and was still third into the straight behind highly-rated Saudi runner Mohammed Al Salhi. However, the Saudi faded badly while Kuwait's Muhammad Al-Azemi found nothing once Kamel challenged him and the champion strode to the line winning easily. "I came here to win and my dream has come true," said Kamel, who became a Bahraini citizen in 2003. Earlier, Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who set a then-Asian record of 13.20sec in winning this title four years ago in Busan, won his 110m hurdles heat heat in 13.74sec, 0.86sec off his world record of 12.88sec set in Lausanne in July. "This period is for my winter training so my form is not as good as it was in Athens for the Olympics so my goal here is to break the Asian Games record and retain my title," said Liu, who races in the final on Tuesday. South Korea's Kim, 20, was ecstatic about winning the golf title which has traditionaly been a springboard to the winner turning professional and making a name for themselves. The winner four years ago, Shiv Kapur of India, is now a leading player on the Asian Tour. "I have not turned pro yet but I will turn pro next year," said university student Kim, who first needs to sit his exams. Kim held off a challenge from overnight leader Pan Cheng-Tsung of Taiwan to finish the 72-stroke event on 12-under-par 276. Fellow Korean Ryu So-Yeon, 16, won the women's title. Their victories helped South Korea to both the men's and women's team gold medals. On the tennis courts, world No.21 Li Na of China, the top seed, fought back from a set down against defending champion Iroda Tulyaganova to advance to the singles semi-finals 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. "I played okay. I told myself I can do it, and I hung on," Li said. She will play Indian glamour girl Sania Mirza for a place in the final where either China's Zheng Jie or Japan's Aiko Nakamura will be waiting. Japan, meanwhile, beat South Korea 27-26 with last minute try to win the rugby union gold medal.
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