The 45th ASTC Executive Board meeting got underway in Guangzhou, China this week chaired by ASTC President and ITU Vice President Kyung Sun Yu. The meeting was organised to coincide with the 16th Asian Games.  ITU President Marisol Casado and Secretary General Loreen Barnett also joined the meeting.

President Casado congratulated ASTC and its technical team for the successful organisation and operations of the Asian Games Triathlon, noting that the Guangzhou 2010 Triathlon venue was as good as any Olympic Games triathlon. 

Marisol also stated that she is looking forward to working further in China as a member of the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Coordination Commission, and for the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Grand Final in Beijing.

Although the energetic performance of many young athletes showed the region has a very promising future, President Casado pledged to further help the ASTC to increase the number of flags in the women’s event.  ITU Sport Development will work with ASTC and the National Olympic Committees of Asia to put more emphasis on supporting talented young women. 

Lou, Da Peng, former president of ASTC, congratulated the board for the growth in sport over the past decade under the current leadership.  The number of NFs in Asia has doubled in the past 8 years.