Hosts China will be deploying its biggest ever delegation comprising 1,454 members, including 977 athletes, in next month’s Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou.
Chinese athletes will participate in 41 sports and 447 events to retain its top position in the Asian Games beginning from November 12. The Asian Games feature 28 Olympic sports and 280 Olympic events.
Thirty five former Olympic champions including Chen Yibing, Liu Xiang, Lin Dan, Zhou Suhong, Zhu Qinan and Wang Liqin will take part in the Games besides rising stars such as Feng Zhe, Zhang Chenglong, Liu Shiwen will be part of the Chinese delegation.
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He Wenna, gold medallist of Beijing Olympics Trampoline said, “As athletes, we will have the Olympic spirit and the Chinese sports spirit, sticking up for the honour of our country. We will obey the discipline of the Games and also the rules of anti-doping, having a clean event.”
Duan Shijie, chef-de-mission of the Chinese delegation and China’s vice sports minister said, “we want our athletes to show their fighting spirit and sportsmanship at the Asian Games and maintain our leading position in the rankings.”
“As the host, we will also ensure a clean team with no drug cases. We consider the Asian Games an important part of our preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games,” official media quoted him as saying.
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Since the ninth Asian Games in 1982, China has dominated the medal rankings. At the last Asiad, in Doha four years ago, China claimed 165 gold medals, 88 silver and 63 bronze.
The Asian Games is believed to be the largest-scale sporting event in the world. Besides the 28 Olympic sports, it also involves 14 non-Olympic sports, including wushu, cricket, rugby and chess.