Bhutan has been competing at the Asian Games since the 1986 Games in South Korea, but are yet to win a medal. Bhutan will be sending 28 athletes, its highest-ever contingent for the 19th Asian Games, which is set to get underway at Hangzhou, China, from September 23. The event will conclude on October 8. According to Source, “The Bhutanese athletes will compete in 10 disciplines. Bhutanese athletes will be competing in karate, boxing, taekwondo, golf, archery, shooting, swimming, athletics, judo, and badminton events. It will be a debut in judo, swimming, karate, and badminton for Bhutan at the Asian Games.
10 coaches will accompany the 28 athletes. With preparation for the games in full swing, some of the athletes are training in sports complexes abroad.” Bhutanese swimmers and badminton players are training in Thailand and four taekwondo players are training at the Kyung-Il University in South Korea, it added. 30-year-old Lenchu Kuenzang, who will be competing in the 10-metre air rifle category, has the backing of the nation behind him as he is being billed as a medal-contender for Bhutan.
Goma Pradhan, a long-distance runner in the 5,000-metre run, said, “I will be competing in the 5,000-metre race. In the past, when I went to the South Asian Games, my personal best time was 17 minutes and 24 seconds. Once again I am in the selection process. Last time, I was busy in college because of my nursing course. Tandin Wangchuk, a judoka, said, “I am not as confident as this is the first time judo is being represented from Bhutan at the Asian Games. But in terms of our experience, we have a lot of experience.
I have participated in the world championships as well. Moreover, I have participated three times in the South Asian Games. Sonam Dema, an athlete in recurve archery said, “I faced a lot of difficulties when I went out for the first time. The more opportunities we get to compete in international competitions, the more confident we get. We feel the same while training here and when we go outside.