Advertisement
Advertisement

Typhoon Orchid puts the wind up officials

HONG KONG athletes spent a harrowing 30 minutes above Hiroshima while Typhoon Orchid caused havoc with airport arrivals.

The 70-odd athletes and officials were in the Dragonair flight waiting for clearance to land. But it never came and the pilot was eventually forced to divert to Kagoshima in southern Japan.

Team doctor Julian Chang was one of those clinging tightly to his seat. 'It was terrible. The plane would dip and then go up again. It would keep doing this and I really thought for one moment that my number was up. Finally the pilot decided to divert the plane.' Despite the anxiety, there was time for some humour with national rowing coach Chris Perry thinking he discovered why the plane was really shaking.

'It's because Bill Sweetenham walked to the toilet,' said Perry. But Sweetenham, a larger-than-life Australia, denied responsibility. Perry, by the way, can hardly be compared to a rake himself.

Soccer stars walking on air THE territory's soccer players are confident of beating Iran - in air hockey that is.

During free time at the athletes village, several Hong Kong players have been frequenting the games room, where heated competition for the Asian Games air hockey title is being fought.

Alan Reis will lead the Hong Kong team against Iran, the current Asian champions - in soccer that is.

'We were supposed to play them on Wednesday night,' said Reis. 'But it was postponed because we ran out of time and the room was going to close. We expect a 2-1 victory.' Village people so bored IT'S not all fun and games though at the village. The tenpin bowlers are very bored with the facilities provided.

Despite a disco, games room, shops and cultural shows, the bowlers, when not training, are either twiddling their thumbs or wandering aimlessly around the village.

Coach Eric Jang said: 'I can't wait until the competition starts because there is nothing to do outside of training.' Chinese swimmers defended US swimming coach Jack Simon has sprung to the defence of the beleaguered Chinese women's swimmers whose record-breaking achievements at the World Championships were shot down by critics alleging drug use.

Watching the Chinese train at the Asian Games swimming pool, he said: 'These girls are so disciplined and work so hard - the Americans just can't match that.' Simons, from the Mission Vioejo club in California, is a director of SwimAmerica, the US national team, and attended the Rome World Championships. 'That was a big disappointment for the Americans, but let's be honest, it's our own fault.' Mongolia won't play ball VOLLEYBALL organisers were anxious about whether Mongolia would compete as last night's deadline loomed. 'They are continually changing their minds,' said Takayoshi Fukushima, head of the Hiroshima organising committee.

Local press reports said the Mongolians had reversed an earlier decision not to field a team.

Though two members of the men's team are at the athletes' village 'they will have to all be here before we can decide on including them in the draw', said Fukushima.

Post