Asian Games Quotes

The 2006 Qatar Asian Games have just concluded.  The Chinese (who else?) went home with a huge pride after securing the top spot again, while Indonesia flunked almost to the very bottom (as usual).  Among disposable plastic glasses, straws, food wraps, and all the confettis, Time Out Dubai magazine managed to rescue some interesting quotes. Here they are:

"This is not our place, the first and second is ours, this is not. The bronze is not worth anything. It means nothing" – Bronze medalist Uzbekistan boxer Dilshod Mahmudov (that's the spirit!)

"People thought we changed nationality for financial gain but now they’ve accepted the fact that there’s nothing wrong with changing nationality if it improves an athlete’s performance" – Kenyan-born Bahrain’s silver medalist Mucheru Salem Jawher (something to think of?)

"My biggest prize is being exempt from military service" – South Korean bowler Jo Nam Yi (the Korean government decided to allow all gold medal winners in Qatar to skip military duties)

"My performance wasn’t good. It’s just not my year. Probably because I’m in love. I’m a victim of my girlfriend. I’ve stopped thinking about my job and training" – Kazakhstan canoeist Zhomart Satubaldin (hey, excellent answer, never thought of that!)

"In Korea, I would go crazy. Here, I will just take a Coke" – Pool silver medallist Kim Ga Young on celebrating the victory (Qatar is an alcohol-free country)

"With this medal we hope to dry the tears of the Iraqi people and make them smile after a lot of suffering" – Iraq weightlifting coach Kadir Bashir on Harem Ali’s 77kg bronze medal (hear hear!!)

"Sponsor? What’s a sponsor? We don’t have such a thing. We have mum and dad and they buy us a pair of shorts if we are lucky" – Uzbek cycling silver medallist Vladimir Tuychiev (count your blessings, folk!)

"Pay my mortgage" – Women’s 9-ball pool winner Liu Shin Mei on her plans to put her gold medal to good use (gold medalists are human after all)

"We can’t practise at the beach. We have to practise indoors and mostly at our homes because if we go out from our home we don’t know if we will come back or not" – Iraqi beach volleyball player Lida Agasi (thank God she's still alive!)