Asia gears up for successful Games

The world's largest and most populous continent, home to over four billion people, or 60 per cent of humans on earth, had a solid showing in Athens and will want to better their medal haul on home turf.

At the 2004 Games, 15 Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) nations fought their way onto the medal table.

A rampant China had its best-ever performance, finishing second overall to the United States with 32 gold, while Japan with 16 gold came fifth. South Korea's nine gold earned them ninth place.

While the three Asian heavyweights should again take the bulk of the glory, smaller fry like Thailand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong put athletes on the podium in 2004 and will be looking to improve in Beijing.

Mongolia, Iran, Indonesia, North Korea, Uzbekistan, UAE, Kazakhstan, Syria, and India have also tasted limited Olympic success.

Malaysia is confident of breaking its terrible Olympic record of never winning a gold medal with world number two badminton player Lee Chong Wei a hot tip for singles glory.

"Lee Chong Wei has defeated World No.1 Lin Dan several times and he can do it again provided he's focused throughout," Malaysian Sports Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told his domestic press.

"Most of our shuttlers have beaten China's players before and I see no reason for them not doing it again."

Lee though has a tough first round opponent in Singapore's Ronald Susilo.

Thailand have sent 51 athletes to Beijing with their boxers, female weightlifters, taekwondo exponents, and badminton players all potential medal winners.

Its boxing team is particularly strong, led by defending light-welterweight champion Manus Boonjumnong, flyweight Somjit Jongjorhor, and bantamweight Worapoj Petchkoom.

"In previous editions, we rested our hopes on one or two boxers to take the medal," said Taweep Jantararoj, president of Amatuer Boxing Association of Thailand. "For this Olympics, everyone has a chance."

Taiwan are a power in taekwondo, while badminton and table tennis are Asian domains. It will be the rest of the world trying to muscle into these sports rather than the other way round in Beijing.

Defending badminton champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia will again be in contention against Malaysia's Lee and China's Lin Dan, while Lin's girlfriend Xie Xingfang is the player to beat in the women's event.

Paddlers from Hong Kong and Singapore will be snapping at China's heels in the table tennis, where Wang Hao and Zhang Yining are the best players currently on the planet.

While lacking in blue riband events like swimming and athletics, China remains dominant in diving, table tennis, and badminton. It is also strong on the shooting ranges while it's women's weightlifters are top class.

Hurdler Liu Xiang is their great hope on the track, while Wu Peng could pick up a medal in the pool.

With a resurgence in judo, swimming, wrestling and gymnastics, Japan, Asia's top nation sporting power before China bulldozed its way to the top, also did better than expected in Athens and will want to build on that.

Their key aim will be overtake Australia in the medals table while keeping arch-rival South Korea at bay.

"We are targetting gold medals in two digits and a total of more than 30 medals. That is the bottom line," said Tomiaki Fukuda, head of Japan's delegation to Beijing.

They have high hopes for judo icon Ryoko Tani to win her third straight Olympic title while Mizuki Noguchi has her marathon crown to defend. In equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu is Asia's oldest competitor at 67.

The Koreans have at least one trick up their sleeve in teenage swim sensation Park Tae-Hwan, who will challenge Australia's Grant Hackett for the 400m freestyle crown.