China, Iran make merry

GYONGYOSI JANOS has been a strict disciplinarian. The technically sound Hungarian added India to his coaching resume following his stints with Japan and Chinese Taipei.

KIRTI PATIL

GYONGYOSI JANOS has been a strict disciplinarian. The technically sound Hungarian added India to his coaching resume following his stints with Japan and Chinese Taipei.

Janos was on a two-month contract with the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association (IKCA), to train the Indians for the 10th Asian championship in Bhopal. On the eve of the championship, Janos seemed very skeptical of India's chances. Obviously he was wary of the strong Iranian contingent, and the resolute Chinese, though the Asian giant was here with its second-string team.

To some extent, Janos was concerned about finding yet another coaching base. Should India do well, Janos' chances of impressing upon the IKCA to extend his stay here would cut some ice. But he had to be realistic.

"A bronze medal here and there would be fine," Janos had said. "Basically we (Indian kayaks) are lethargic towards hard work," was his assertion after the two-month association with the Indians. As the Chinese women and Iranian men fished out most of the medals with the golden hue, the Indians scrambled for the left-overs. Just as the coach had prophesied. Four bronze medals was India's total collection in the 10th Asian senior championship held at the sprawling Upper Lake. India took the fifth position among six countries, which figured in the medal's tally.

India could console itself with two golds, four silver and four bronze medals, and third position in the medal's tally, in the fourth Asian junior championship held concurrently. Kayak Karma Topo won two bronze medals — for one he fought hard while the other was an absolute fluke. The other two medals were earned by the canoeing tandems of S. Siji Kumar and Sanjit Singh, in C-2 200m and Daleep Beniwal and G. Ajit Kumar in C-2 1000m.

There was no way Topo could have won bronze medal in K-1 500m. Even though he was the third kayak to cross the finish line, Topo knew he didn't deserve it.

Iran's Raesi Reza was a boat-length ahead of China's Wang Lei when, in his over-exuberance, he turned behind only to let his kayak capsize. As he haplessly looked towards the sky, Lei completed the race, followed by Japan's Maruyama Riyhei. Topo came much later and crossed the line.

Raesi's faux pas notwithstanding, Iran duly erased the grim memories of its disastrous outing in the 2002 Busan Asian Games. Its top players were out of action, which forced Iran to return empty-handed from Korea.

"We were very upset after that (Asian Games). But destiny was with us in the Asian championship. We are happy to have at least dominated the men's section," said team member Baabak Samary.But for the costly mistake that Raesi made, Iran would have won eight out of nine kayaking gold medals. Powerhouse China was not in the reckoning as it left its best team back home to prepare for next year's Olympic Games in Athens.

In the women's section though, China was still stronger with its second line of kayaks. The Chinese women lapped up all the nine gold medals leaving Indonesia and Japan to fight for the second place.

The Indian women left without a trace. In all the races they competed, the women showed no guts to fight it out. The situation was so hopeless in the K-4 class where the quartet couldn't even match the rhythm of their pedals.

There was one such laughable incident in the K-4 class over 500 metres. The Chinese women were home in 1 minute 45.28 seconds and then the rest of the field crossed the finish line leaving the Indian team of Neeteshwary, Srimati Bisanoi, Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo still in the lane. At one point of time, Neeteshwary decided to stop using her pedal while others were still cutting the water. Realising that the team may be red-flagged, she got into action and they were home in 1:59.19.

In the Junior Asian championship, Japan was the overwhelming leader, garnering 10 golds, one silver and four bronze medals. Iran, which hosted the ninth edition in early 2002, has been building a kayaking team with much interest. The country duly won two golds and nine silver medals to be second in the medal's tally. India was third followed by China (1-1-0) and Chinese Taipei (0-0-7).

The Iranian women deserve mention as they took the plunge and have done well at the continental level. One gold and four silver medals was a good collection they had in Bhopal.

The results:Kayaking:Men:

K-1 200m: 1. Milad Mohsen (Irn) 37.97s; 2. Fukushima Tatsuo (Jpn) 38.46; 3. Karma Topo (Ind) 39.66.

K-2 200m: 1. Iran (Mohammadi Alireza, Sayadi Abas) 37.64s; 2. China (Chen Tai, Zhang Hjongjun) 38.26; 3. Japan (Noda Takamitsu, Kobayashai Keigo) 38.36; 4. India (P. Thomas, P. S. Madhu) 38.81.

K-4 200m: 1. Iran (Milad Mohsen, Moshiri Keivan, Sayadi Abas, Mohammadi Alireza) 31.54s AR (old 31.577); 2. China (Hu Sheng Gui, Zhing Xi Jun, Wang Lei, Li Qi) 33.31; 3. Indonesia (Hadi Laode, Sayadin, Diono, Kuat) 33.52... 5. India (P. K. Baroi, Karma Topo, Ashok Malik, P. Thomas) 34.74.

K-1 500m: 1. Wang Lei (Chn) 1:51.36; 2. Maruyama Riyhei (Jpn) 1:52.71; 3. Karma Topo (Ind) 2:01.35.

K-2 500m: 1. Iran (Milad Mohsen, Baabak Samary) 1:38.14; 2. Indonesia (Hadi Laode, Sayadin) 1:39.36; 3. China (Zhao Xu, Han Lei) 1:39.67... 5. India (P. Thomas, P. S. Madhu) 1:52.91.

K-4 500m: 1. Iran (Raesi Reza, Sayadi Abas, Baabak Samary, Mohammadi Alireza) 1:31.98; 2. China (Li Qi, Wang Lei, Zhang Hjongjun, Chen Tai) 1:33.14; 3. Japan (Hokudou Suzuki, Haruhiko Akiyama, Takemitsu Noda, Keigo Kobayashai) 1:33.32... 5. India (P. K. Baroi, Karma Topo, Ashok Malik, A. Machariya) 1:37.79.

K-1 1000m: 1. Baabak Samary (Irn) 3:56.62; 2. Sayadin (Ina) 3:58.59; 3. Liu Pei Liang (Chn) 4:01.12... 5. P. K. Baroi (Ind) 4:12.83.

K-2 1000m: 1. Iran (Mohammadi Alireza, Baabak Samary) 3:45.76; 2. Japan (Hokudou Suzuki, Akiyama Haruhiko) 3:48.59; 3. Indonesia (Diono, Kuat) 3:49.89... 5. India (P. Thomas, P. S. Madhu) 3:58.34.

K-4 1000m: 1. China (Hu Shenggui, Zhong Xi Jun, Zhao Xu, Han Lei) 3:14.69; 2. Indonesia (Hadi Laode, Sayadin, Diono, Kuat) 3:17.87; 3. Japan (Hokudou Suzuki, Haruhiko Akiyama, Takamitsu Noda, Keigo Kobayashai) 3:20.43... 5. India (P. K. Baroi, Karma Topo, Ashok Malik, A. Machariya) 3:31.35.

Junior men:

K-1 500m: 1. Siavash Sobhan (Irn) 1:56.45; 2. D. V. S. Neggi (Ind) 1:56.48; 3. Adachi Kazahiro (Jpn) 1:57.78.

K-2 500m: 1. Japan (Nobue Toshiki, Matsushita Momotara) 1:46.28; 2. Iran (Jama Shidi Ali, Usefi Nima) 1:48.03; 3. India (Surinder Beniwal, Yendapha) 1:54.42.

K-4 500m: 1. Japan (Sato Daisuke, Yusa Takayuki, Iwanaga Masayuki, Mizuguchi Kazuhiko) 1:33.67; 2. Iran (Tahmasebi Houtan, Moradlou Milad, Siavash Sobhan, Shakeri Alireza) 1:36.17; 3. India (D. V. S. Neggi, Lalit Kumar Singh, Surendra Beniwal, N. Sanjay Singh) 1:39.14.

K-1 1000m: 1. D. V. S. Neggi (Ind) 4:12.23; 2. Tahmasebi Houtan (Irn) 4:18.52; 3. Omura Masumi (Jpn) 4:20.30.

K-2 1000m: 1. Japan (Matsushita Momotaro) 3:51.67; 2. Iran (Tahmasebi Houtan, Siavash Sobhan) 3:56.60; 3. India (Shanty Swaroop, A. Yendapha) 4:00.00.

K-4 1000m: 1. Japan (Sato Daisuke, Yusa Takayuki, Iwanaga Masayuki, Mizuguchi Kazuhiko) 3:24.93; 2. Iran (Tahmasebi Houtan, Moradlou Milad, Siavash Sobhan, Shakeri Alireza) 3:30.20; 3. India (D. V. S. Neggi, Lalit Kumar Singh, Surendra Beniwal, N. Sanjay Singh) 3:36.03.

Women:

K-1 200m: 1. Wang Chao (Chn) 46.41s; 2. Aronggear Sarce (Ina) 47.32; 3. Ota Akane (Jpn) 47.82... 6. Neeteshwary (Ind) 52.81.

K-2 200m: 1. China (Yang Ya Li, Peng Chun) 41.71s; 2. Indonesia (Aronggear Sarce, Suhartati) 44.25; 3. Singapore (Lim Ling Min, Tong Lee Ling) 45.19... 5. India (Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo) 46.72.

K-4 200m: 1. China (Shang Xiaolin, Wang Xiuling, Sun Ling Jing, Wang Chao) 38.02s; 2. Japan (Okamoto Satoko,Takemura Midori, Tsujioka Sayaka, Ota Akane) 40.47; 3. Indonesia (Mahue Feny, Aminah Sitti, Rais Royani, Kabey Agustina) 41.66... 5. India (Neeteshwary, Srimati Bisanoi, Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo) 43.19.

K-1 500m: 1. Wang Lin (Chn) 2:08.76; 2. Aronggear Sarce (Ina) 2:10.23; 3. Tsujioka Sayaka (Jpn) 2:13.42... 5. Neeteshwary (Ind) 2:22.22.

K-2 500m: 1. China (Sun Ling Jing) 1:57.84; 2. Indonesia (Suhartati, Aronggear Sarce) 1:59.14; 3. Iran (Henghameh Ahadpour, Raheleh Ahadpour) 2:09.61; 4. India (Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo) 2:12.32.

K-4 500m: 1. China (Ling Weizhen, Peng Chun, Yang Yali, Wang Xiuling) 1:45.28; 2. Japan (Satoko Okamoto, Ota Akane, Midori Takemura, Sayaka Tsujiko) 1:51.00; 3. Indonesia (Mahue Feny, Aminah Sitti, Rais Royani, Kabey Agustina) 1:82.95... 5. India (Neeteshwary, Srimati Bisanoi, Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo) 1:59.19.

K-1 1000m: 1. Shang Xiaolin (Chn) 4:33.66; 2. Tsujiko Sayaka (Jpn) 4:39.44; 3. Aronggear Sarce (Ina) 4:44.38... 5 Neeteshwary (Ind) 5:15.76.

K-2 1000m: 1. China (Ling Weizhen, Wang Lin) 3:56.94 AR (old 4:04.19); 2. Indonesia (Aronggear Sarce, Suhartati) 4:01.51; 3. Japan (Okamoto Satoko, Takemura Midori) 4:17.81... 6. India (Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo) 4:30.59.

K-4 1000m: 1. China (Shang Xiao Lin, Yang Yagi, Peng Chun, Wang Lin) 3:37.25; 2. Japan (Okamoto Satoko, Takemura Modori, Tsujioka Sayaka, Ota Akane) 3:52.77; 3. Indonesia (Mahue Feny, Aminah Sitti, Rais Royani, Kabey Agustina) 3:57.11... 5. India (Neeteshwary, Srimati Bisanoi, Smita Aziz, Kochumol Mathuo) 4:09.78.

Junior women:

K-1 500m: 1. Hamono Saki (Jpn) 2:13.54; 2. Kharazhi Elahieh (Irn) 2:21.75; 3. Lin Ya Ping (Tpe) 2:26.51... 6. Simi Mol (Ind) 2:44.61.

K-2 500m: 1. Iran (Kharazmi Elaheh, Tabri Elah) 2:10.02; 2. Japan (Yumi Imamura, Narumi Yoshitake) 2:12.14; 3. Chinese Taipei (Hsiao Yun-Ju, Chien Fang-Ting) 2:18.06... 5. India (Simi Mol, S. Joemol) capsized.

K-4 500m: 1. Japan (Mari Uehara, Noma Atsuko, Kashio Tomoko, Harada Kazusa) 1:52.63; 2. Iran (Kharazmi Elaheh, Tabri Elah, Arezoo Goodarzi, Mahini Samaneh) 1:59.60; 3. Chinese Taipei (Lin Ya Ping, Wang Shu Chuan, Hsiao Yun Tu, Hsiao Yun-Ju) 2:03.42; 4. India (S. Joemol, Simi Mol, Rafika Maau, Damini Mann) 2:55.65.

K-1 1000m: 1. Hamono Saki (Jpn) 4:35.89; 2. Kharazmi Elaheh (Irn) 5:00.18; 3. Lin Ya Ping (Tpe) 5:10.38; 4. Simi Mol (Ind) 5:45.89.

K-2 1000m: 1. Japan (Imamura Yumi, Yoshitake Narumi) 4:27.85; 2. Iran (Kharazmi Elaheh, Tabari Elma) 4:28.47; 3. Chinese Taipei (Tasi Yu-Wen, Lin Ya-Ping) 4:42.72; 4. India (Simi Mol, S. Joemol) 5:35.81.

Canoeing:Men:

C-1 200m: 1. Zheng Tianyan (Chn) 44.76s; 2. Ahmadi Sirvan (Irn) 44.86; 3. Asnawir (Ina) 45.95... 6. Sanjit Singh (Ind) 47.78.

C-2 200m: 1. Japan (Takaki Hiromichi, Tanoue Yasuhiro) 40.43s; 2. Indonesia (Dadi, Lampung) 40.81; 3. India (S. Siji Kumar, Sanjit Singh) 41.99.

C-1 500m: 1. Zheng Tianyan (Chn) 2:03.76; 2. Tanoue Yasuhiro (Jpn) 2:05.14; 3. Roinadi (Ina) 2:07.57... 5. Hemlung Pow (Ind) 2:10.12.

C-2 500m: 1. Japan (Takaki Hiromichi) 1:54.88; 2. Iran (Ahmadi Sirvan, Seifi Aziz) 1:56.94; 3. Indonesia (Sarianto, Agus) 1:58.10; 4. India (S. Siji Kumar, Sanjit Singh) 1:59.34.

C-1 1000m: 1. Chen Zhong Yun (Chn) 4:15.69; 2. Tanoue Yasuhiro (Jpn) 4:35.33; 3. Ahmadi Sirvan (Irn) 4:37.39; 4. Hemlung Pow (Ind) 4:38.54.

C-2 1000m: 1. Indonesia (Roinadi, Asnawir) 4:06.38; 2. China (Wang Liang, Fan Jiwen) 4:09.73; 3. India (Daleep Beniwal, G. Ajit Kumar) 4:13.53.

Junior men:

C-1 500m: 1. Amutombi (Ind) 2:09.39; 2. Chen Zhijiang (Chn) 2:10.04; 3. Motaguchi Takashi (Jpn) 2:17.37.

C-2 500m: 1. Japan (Nagashima Keisuke, Ono Yuuki) 2:04.71; 2. India (R. Manoj Kumar, Karan Singh) 2:06.14; 3. Chinese Taipei (Lu Fang-Hsien, Chen Yeh-Kai) 2:16.34.

C-1 1000m: 1. Chen Zhijiang (Chn) 4:40.16; 2. Amutom Bi (Ind) 4:44.16; 3. Nishi Yasuhiro (Jpn) 5:02.81.

C-2 1000m: 1. Japan (Nagashima Keisuke, Ono Yuki) 4:21.49; 2. India (R. Manoj Kumar, Karan Singh) 4:26.78; 3. Chinese Taipei (Lu Fang-Hsien, Chou En Ping) 4:52.13.

Medals tally (read as gold, silver, bronze, total):

Seniors: 1. China 14-4-2-20; 2. Iran 7-2-2-11; 3. Japan 2-9-6-17; 4. Indonesia 1-9-9-19; 5. India 0-0-4-4; 6. Singapore 0-0-1-1.

Juniors: 1. Japan 10-1-4-15; 2. Iran 2-9-0-11; 3. India 2-4-4-10; 4. China 1-1-0-2; 5. Chinese Taipei 0-0-7-7.