Pinoy jetski riders plunge into action
BILLY Joseph Ang, one of the Philippines’ top jet ski riders, plunges into action today in the JetSki competitions of the 2018 Asian Games at the JetSki Indonesia Academy in Ancol Beach, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Jet ski is being held at the games only for the second time after its 1962 debut.
Riders will be clashing in five categories, namely Runabout 1100 Stock, Ski Modified, Runabout Limited, Runabout 1100 Stock and Ski Modified.
The 5’6” Ang, an expert in the Endurance Runabout Open and Runabout 1100 Stock, was once a bronze medalist in the 2014 King’s Cup World Championships. He also placed sixth at the 4th Asian Beach Games 2014 in Thailand in the runabout stock event.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Balandin, who two years ago won his country’s first- ever Olympic swimming gold medal, said on Wednesday he will consider retiring after the Asian Games.
The 23-year- old became a national hero in the former Soviet state after a stunning victory in the 200-meter breaststroke in Rio.
But he suffered an almighty Olympic hangover and admits he is struggling to motivate himself after a miserable run of form and niggling injuries.
“I think maybe I’m going to finish my swimming career,” Balandin told AFP after placing second in his 100m heat and qualifying second overall for Wednesday’s final in Jakarta.
“I won everything I wanted in swimming -- I just don’t find new motivation for swimming.
“For my country I’m a hero, so many people know my face and it’s great,” added the beefy Kazakh, who withdrew from Tuesday’s 200m breaststroke with a sore ankle.
“But I’ve had some trouble with my health, I fractured the ankle -- it’s been so bad. After the injury, for three or four weeks I didn’t come to the swimming pool.”
Balandin stormed home from lane eight to win the Olympic 200m title in Brazil.
His sensational gold medal was a source of huge national pride in Kazakhstan -- once lampooned by the movie “Borat” and its bumbling main character in his ill-fitting Soviet- era suit and “mankini”.
Kazakhstan, which has a population of 18 million, has a rich sporting history, achieving Olympic success in boxing, cycling and weightlifting.
But Balandin hinted that he was unhappy with his country’s swimming officials.
ASIAD POOL WITH AFP