Bangladesh swimming squad at ongoing ‘Meet the Team’ programme on Monday expected four gold medals in different events in the upcoming 11th South Asian Games to be held in Bangladesh from January 29 to February 9.
Combining experience with youthfulness, Bangladesh Swimming Team targeted three gold medals in the men’s 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke and one in the women’s 50m Backstroke.
Shahjahan Ali Rony, Jewel Ahmed, Rubel Rana and Mahfuza Akhter are expected to win gold medals in the South Asian contest.
Bangladesh team has been going through intensive coaching under Korean coach Park Te Goon, who hoped to reap fruits at a media conference at Olympic Bhaban in city on Monday
“Bangladesh swimmers have worked hard and ready for the final challenge. We won just one gold, six silvers and nine bronzes in Colombo SAG in 2006 but this time we are ready to earn more medals,” the General Secretary of Bangladesh Swimming Federation Mahbubur Rahman Shahin said.
Bangladesh Swimming Squad:
Men’s team: Mahfuzur Rahman (50m free style/100-m freestyle, Rafiqul Islam (50m freestyle), Nazrul Islam (100m freestyle), Monirul Islam (400m freestyle), Jewel Ahmed Jr (400m freestyle), Shahjahan Ali Rony (50m breaststroke), Kamal Hossain (50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke), Jewel Ahmed (50m and 100m Butterfly), Anik Islam (50m and 100m butterfly), Samedul Islam (100m breaststroke), 200m individual medley), Shariful Islam (200m backstroke), Rubel Rana (50m and 100m backstroke), 200m individual medley, Rabiul Alam Sumon (50m and 100m backstroke) and Hasanul Karim (relay race).
Women’s team: Dolly Akhter (50m freestyle, 50m and 100m breaststroke), Sabura Khatun (50m freestyle and 50m backstroke), Sonia Akhter (50m and 100m butterfly), Laboni Akhter Chameli (50m butterfly), Nazma Khatun (100m butterfly), Muslima Khatun (50m backstroke), and Mahfuza Akhter (50m breaststroke).
Bangladesh Judo Team expressed confidence to excel in the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) and better their performances than the last edition in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Iranian coach Akhgor Mohammad Reza promised a good show.
“In the -73 Kg Habibur Rahman and in the -81 Kg Shushil Chandra Mohanta are the gold medal prospect,” said Akhgor.
The General Secretary of Bangladesh Judo Federation Abdul Qadir hoped high with the prospect of Bangladesh Judo Team in the Games. “We have trained our judokas for a long time and the standards of our opponents are almost the same. We hope to flourish in the home ground,” Qadir said at a news conference at Olympic Bhaban, Dhaka on Monday.
All the six countries except Bhutan and Maldives will participate in Judo. Bangladesh men’s team will take part in seven events while the women’s team in two events.
Bangladesh Judo Team: Men’s – Abu Bakar Siddique (+60 Kgs), Milton Majumder (-66 Kgs), Habibur Rahman (-73Kgs), Shushil Chandra Mohanta (-81 Kgs), Nurul Islam (-90 kgs), Tariqul Islam (-100 Kgs), Mamun Rashid (+100 Kgs).
