FIBA Asia - Olympic opportunity, the bottomline of participants' gameplan

INCHEON (FIBA Asia Championship for Women) - Participation at next year's Beijing Olympics. This seemed to rule the roost among all the lead players on the opening day of the Championships on Sunday. Two of the leading contenders to that lone berth that the tournament offers scored lop-sided wins, but termed them "first step towards earning the Olympic berth." The defending champions lost their opener and chose to lay emphasis "on our Olympic preparations" and the team which beat them brushed it off saying "it (the win) doesn't mean anything unless we qualify for Beijing."

One may wonder if the sheen has been taken away from the traditional quest of the teams in the Championship - winning the title - towards an occasion coming up more than a year later. But the fact remained that the Asian teams have begun look at long term goals rather than short term.

"It's quite exciting to note that Asia will certainly have two teams in the Olympics," FIBA Asia Secretary General Dato' Yeoh Choo Hock had said during the customary meeting of the managers on the eve of the Championship. And the teams surely seemed to have taken a cue from that.

Japan caused what otherwise might be called a coup, upsetting the four-in-a-row plans of the Chinese, but coach Tomohide Utsumi chose to underplay the 'upset'. "I hope the girls can continue to play the same way till we qualify for the Olympics," he declared.
His Chinese counterpart, though, was even more categorical. "We knew we were fielding our second team," said Sun Fengwu. "As long as these girls provide more options for Beijing, I think we are very happy," he brushed off the defeat.

Utsumi was even ready to discuss Japan's encounter against Korea, which he called "the most crucial encounter for us" although the team plays Thailand on Monday. "It's not that we are taking any match easy, but we are definitely looking at the Korea game," Utsumi said.

Korean coach Yoo Jong So underplayed what could go on to become one of the most lop-sided wins, against Thailand. "We know our chances are better now (to win the Championship after the defeat of China), but we are looking at Beijing," he said.

"She anyway is an integral part of our preparations for the Olympics," was how he justified the presence of Choi Youn Ah although the point guard has been ruled out of the tournament having injured her elbow during a practice session merely days prior to the Championship.

Chinese Taipei coach Hung Ling-Yao Lin was even more categorical on her sights being set on the Olympic berth. "No win is big enough unless and until we achieve our goal of qualifying for the Olympics," she said, in the post match conference after beating Malaysia rather lop-sidedly.

With such thoughts running the brains behind the teams, the next few days at Incheon surely will witness some very interesting action.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia