China is sending a record 133-member delegation to the
Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in a quest for its first winter
gold medal.
The greatest show on snow opens in the Utah capital in the western
United States on February 8. Nearly 2,500 athletes from up to 80
countries and regions will gather for the biggest spectacle since
the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Chinese athletes will take part in 38 events in seven sports,
including short-track speed skating, speed skating, figure skating,
aerial freestyle skiing, the biathlon, cross-country skiing and
women's ice hockey.
There will be 71 athletes from China if, as expected, the two speed
skaters competing in the Netherlands qualify for the Olympics.
China's athletes are poised to end the country's gold drought after
a series of near-misses in previous Winter Games.
Li
Furong, vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, said: "Our
strength in winter sports has seen a giant leap forward in effort
from generation to generation.
"We are well-prepared to win gold."
China has taken part in six Winter Games since 1980 and won its
first Winter Olympic medal in 1992.
The best result came from the 1998 Nagano games in Japan four years
ago as China finished with six silvers and two bronzes.
Heavy expectations weigh on the delegation this time as the
precious gold is likely to come from short-track speed skating,
figure skating and aerial free-style skiing.
Delegation chief Xiao Tian said: "We have won several world titles
on those sports in many major international competitions."
"I
hope they can take the chance," he added.
Short-track speed skater Yang Yang (A) won 11 world titles and set
two world records last year and heads a cream of gold
favorites.
Combined with close colleagues Yang Yang (S), Wang Chunlun and Sun
Dandan, she hopes to improve upon their five silver-winning
performances at the last Winter Olympics.
Hopes are also pinned on the pairing of Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo -
twice runners-up in the figure-skating World Championships - and
skier Xu Nannan, who won a silver medal in the last winter
Games.
(China Daily January 9,
2002)