Waves of victory at Asian Games, Bangladesh full of hope

The Asian Games is the second largest multi-sports event in the world after the Olympic Games. This is the first time that surfing is going to be included in this largest sporting event in Asia, which dates back to 1951. And Bangladesh is there for the first edition.
This debut of surfing on the stage of the Asian Games is a huge achievement for Bangladesh, which did not come through any wildcard. The country's surfers have booked their tickets to the main event by proving their full talent and ability.
Last year, the fourth Asian Surfing Championship was held in Chennai, India. It was a gathering of 18 countries in Asia. On that stage, the Bangladesh team snatched ninth place, leaving behind countries that are much more advanced in terms of infrastructure on the surfing track like Thailand, Singapore, and Kuwait. This indomitable determination to conquer the waves of the sea despite limited facilities and extreme adversity proves how formidable the youth of Bangladesh is.
Surfing organiser Aminul Islam Liton spoke in detail about the background of this historic opportunity and preparation. He said, "Last year, our team finished ninth out of 18 countries in the Asian Surfing Championship, so we have the opportunity to participate in the Asian Games. From there, the path for one male and one female surfer to participate was paved. This opportunity came because of the boys' consistent performance, and later, the Asian Federation's interest in including female surfers was added. Now, we are waiting for the final approval of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA), who will confirm exactly how many will be able to go."
Mohammad Mannan and female surfer Fatema Akhtar will be the country's main hope and confidence in this upcoming great event.
However, there are several obstacles in preparation for the rest of the Games. Although regular practice of surfers is currently underway in Cox's Bazar under the initiative of the federation, no formal national camp or process of hiring foreign coaches has yet started.
Moreover, the waves on the Cox's Bazar sea beach are lower than normal around August-September, which makes proper practice for the international event quite challenging. Those concerned believe that if a formal camp starts soon under the BOA, this deficit can be filled to some extent.
Amidst all these limitations, Liton clearly stated his goal while standing on the ground of reality. Without getting carried away by the illusory dream of a medal, the sports organiser said, "Big Asian superpowers like Japan or Korea will fight for medals here. Since our international experience in surfing is still at an early stage, we are not expecting a medal by participating for the first time. Our main goal is to test our talent and position on a top stage like the Asian Games. Getting more opportunities to play in such international events is our biggest achievement."
When the first national surfing competition started in the country in 2015, the number of surfers in Bangladesh was only about 60. That number has now exceeded 350. The historic participation of Mannan-Fatema on the beach of Japan will not only enrich their own experience, but will also serve as a new beacon for hundreds of budding surfers in the country to fulfill their dreams. The red-green representatives hope to leave their mark in the first edition of the Asian Games.