400 Kazakhstani sportsmen to participate in Asian Games in South Korea 14 июля 2014, 22:04

Over 400 Kazakhstani sportsmen will participate in the upcoming 17th Asian Games in Icheon, South Korea, Tengrinews reports citing the official website of Kazakhstan’s PM.

According to Yelsiyar Kanagatov, chairman of the Sports and Physical Education Agency, Kazakhstani sportsmen will participate in 39 sports during the Asian Games in Korea. “All in all, we are expecting participation of over 400, possibly up to 500, our sportsmen in 39 sports. Kazakhstan was represented by 362 sportsmen in 36 sports at the Summer Asian Games. Our team was 9th largest at the event,” Kanagatov said.

The 17th Asian Games officially known as the XVII Asiad will be hosting over 13 thousand sportsmen and coaches from 45 countries from September 19 to October 4, 2014. According to Kanagatov, the Asian Games are becoming similar to Summer Olympic Games in terms of their scope. Over 7 thousand media representatives will cover the Asian Games. The program includes 41 Olympic sports and 9 non-Olympics sports with 437 sets of medals.

“The competition will be tough. Our goal is to win 26 gold medals in 15 sports to guarantee Kazakhstan the fourth place in the overall team rating,” the chairman said. Kanagatov added that Kazakhstan has good chances of winning gold medals in weightlifting, track and field and rowing and canoeing.

By Gyuzel Kamalova