Kazakhstan to send over 400 athletes for Asian Games

For the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Kazakhstan will send more than 400 athletes, said the deputy chairman of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan.

Speaking at the board meeting Friday, Elsiyar Kanagatov said that "in general by more than 400, possibly up to 500 athletes from Kazakhstan in 39 kinds of sport is planned", reports Xinhua.

In the last Summer Asian Games, Kazakhstan was represented by 362 athletes in 36 different sports and our team was in the 9th position by the number of athletes, he said.

According to Kanagatov, the Games in South Korea will be attended by more than 13,000 athletes and coaches from 45 countries. The Games features 41 Olympic and 9 non-Olympic sports with a total of 437 sets of medals to be awarded.

"The competition will be very tough. Our goal is to win 26 gold medals in 15 kinds of sport which in fact will ensure 4th place for Kazakhstan in the overall standing," said Kanagatov.

According to him, the major sports where the Kazakh team can count on the gold medals are weightlifting, athletics, rowing and canoeing.