‘I think it’s unfair because they are taller and have a longer stride,’ men’s 100 metre silver medallist Su Bingtian told AFP. ‘They are more powerful and athletic. Physically we are at a disadvantage.’
Su lost to Qatar’s Femi Ogunode, born in Nigeria, who smashed Asia’s men’s 100 metres record on Sunday with a 9.93sec time.
Japanese and South Korean sprinters added their voice to the protests, while Asian sport leaders appear divided over the foreign influx.
Competitors originally from Africa have swept to five gold medals in seven races in the first two days of the Asian Games athletics, blowing away their native Asian competitors. Foreign imports, mainly representing Bahrain and Qatar, have continued a dominance in track events which stretches back to the 2006 Doha Games, when Kenya-born runners won the men’s 800m, 1500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, 3000m steeplechase and marathon.
At the 2010 Guangzhou Games, Bahrain and Qatar’s African runners again completely dominated the men’s long-distance track events, taking all six medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m.
In Incheon, Bahrain’s Nigerian import Oluwakemi Adekoya won the women’s 400m just months after switching country, to add to Kenyan-born teenager Ruth Jebet’s gold for the kingdom in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Meanwhile, Alia Saeed Mohammed -- originally from Ethiopia -- stood draped in the flag of her adopted United Arab Emirates after winning the 10,000m. It has been the same story in the men’s competition. The men’s 5,000m saw Moroccan-born Mohamad Al-Garni taking gold ahead of Bahrain’s Alemu Bekele Gebre, who switched allegiance from Ethiopia, and Albert Kibichii Rop, formerly Kenyan.
Su lost to Qatar’s Femi Ogunode, born in Nigeria, who smashed Asia’s men’s 100 metres record on Sunday with a 9.93sec time.
Japanese and South Korean sprinters added their voice to the protests, while Asian sport leaders appear divided over the foreign influx.
Competitors originally from Africa have swept to five gold medals in seven races in the first two days of the Asian Games athletics, blowing away their native Asian competitors. Foreign imports, mainly representing Bahrain and Qatar, have continued a dominance in track events which stretches back to the 2006 Doha Games, when Kenya-born runners won the men’s 800m, 1500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, 3000m steeplechase and marathon.
At the 2010 Guangzhou Games, Bahrain and Qatar’s African runners again completely dominated the men’s long-distance track events, taking all six medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m.
In Incheon, Bahrain’s Nigerian import Oluwakemi Adekoya won the women’s 400m just months after switching country, to add to Kenyan-born teenager Ruth Jebet’s gold for the kingdom in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Meanwhile, Alia Saeed Mohammed -- originally from Ethiopia -- stood draped in the flag of her adopted United Arab Emirates after winning the 10,000m. It has been the same story in the men’s competition. The men’s 5,000m saw Moroccan-born Mohamad Al-Garni taking gold ahead of Bahrain’s Alemu Bekele Gebre, who switched allegiance from Ethiopia, and Albert Kibichii Rop, formerly Kenyan.