DOHA, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to face tough challenges from the men's four and lightweight single's sculls in the rowing tournament of the Doha Asian Games.

    On Thursday, five finals will take place and China might encounter two challengers from the men's four and lightweight single sculls.

    Daisaku Takeda of Japan, champion of men's lightweight doubles sculls in Busan Asiad in 2002, will participate in the singles event this time.

    Chinese rowers, who won the event four years ago in Busan, have felt Takeda's threat. Wu Chongkui, only 17, lost twice to the Japanese in the heats and semis on Wednesday.

    Wu Jining, coach of China team, told Xinhua that Wu Chongkui had to go all out to win.

    The men's four event will by no means be easy as all four finalists had to fight hard in the semifinals.

    Women's lightweight singles sculls final may prove an easy one for China, who took the title of the event in 1990, 1998 and 2002 Asian Games.

    China's gold hopeful in the event is Xu Dongxiang, who won the women's lightweight double sculls in Eton, Britain, in 2006. But DPR Korea's Ro Kum Suk could pose some threat as she did a good job in the semifinals and clocked the second-fastest time of the four finalists.

    Phuttharaksa Nikree of Thailand, bronze medalist in the doubles, is also hoping to take a second.