STORY: Syrian Olympic football team aims for glory at Hangzhou Asian Games
DATELINE: Aug. 25, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:45
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Syrian Olympic football team training
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): HAITHAM AL-LOOZ, Player
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): MAHMOUD MOHANNA, Player
4. various of training
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): TAMER HASSAN, Coach of the Syrian team
6. coach of the Syrian team
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): TAMER HASSAN, Coach of the Syrian team
8. various of training
9. SOUNDBITE 5 (Arabic): MUHI AL-DEEN DAWLEH, Director of the Syrian team

STORYLINE:

As the excitement builds for the forthcoming 19th Asian Games, the Syrian Olympic football team is fervently preparing to make their mark on the international stage.

Having made it to the quarter-finals in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, the team is aiming for nothing less than reaching the finals in China's Hangzhou.

A total of 23 men's teams will participate in the football competition in this year's Asian Games, which take place from September 23 to October 8.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): HAITHAM AL-LOOZ, Syrian football player
"We are so happy to participate in the Asian games particularly because we have friendly ties with China. We played in the previous Asian Games in Indonesia and reached the quarter-finals. We want to be a tough competitor, reach the finals, and win the games. The training is ongoing at a high level. The players are all committed, so we aspire to reach the finals."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): MAHMOUD MOHANNA, Syrian football player
"We are preparing for the Asian Games in China, and we are so honored to participate in such a championship. In the last Asian Games, we reached the quarter-finals, and our team would achieve more than that and reach the semi-finals and finals."

Guiding the Syrian team through this journey is Tamer Hassan, an Egyptian coach who welcomed the challenge to lead the Syrian Olympic team in Asia.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): TAMER HASSAN, Coach of the Syrian team
"When I was offered this job to train the Syrian national team, I got excited because it was in Asia and was a new challenge for me, so I wanted to go through the experience."

Hassan's motivation extends beyond personal achievements; he is dedicated to bringing happiness to the Syrian people through their performance.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): TAMER HASSAN, Coach of the Syrian team
"We will try to top our last achievement in the Asian Games, these are our wishes. It's a challenge for us and the players, and we will do something to make the Syrian people happy."

Adding to the anticipation surrounding the Asian Games is Muhi al-Deen Dawleh, the director of the Syrian Olympic football team. He has visited China five times.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Arabic): MUHI AL-DEEN DAWLEH, Director of the Syrian team
"China is a friendly country, a friendly people who like their guests and I wish that this visit would be an additional achievement in my sports record and to achieve a result that would make the Syrian people happy. We wish success to our team, and we wish China success in the great organizing of the games. We are always anticipating something new that we haven't seen before from a great country like China."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)