Beijing Olympic Games 2008

Japan hopes to match its excellent showing from Athens at the Beijing Olympics, with chef de mission Tomiaki Fukuda giving a competitive outlook on Wednesday.

“We are likely to win 10-20 gold medals in Beijing. (But) the results remain unknown until you try,” he said.

Japan have a 339-strong team at the August 8-24 Games, led by 200m breaststroke world record holder Kosuke Kitajima.

“He is very competitive and likely to win the gold medal. He is also likely to break the record again,” Fukuda said.

Apart from swimming, the official said that Japanese athletes can medal in synchronized swimming, baseball, judo, gymnastics, athletics and wrestling.

Japan came a strong fifth in the medal standings at the 2004 Games in Athens with 16 gold medals, nine silver and 12 bronze.

Olympic supremo Jacques Rogge mentioned the country as part of “an awakening of Asia” at the time along with China, South Korea and Thailand. Rogge said last week he expected a similar trend in Beijing.

But American magazine Sports Illustrated, in its famous forecast, saw Japan drop to 11th place with an 8-8-12 result.

from: bangkokpost.com