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| Chinese Olympic table tennis team
member Wang Liqin (C) arrives at Athens airport August 8,
2004. (Agencies) |
The Olympic spotlight fell
on the Chinese sporting delegation on Sunday when the main 267-member
group of China's 600-strong squad left Beijing for the Greek capital.
The national flag-raising ceremony will be held on Monday in the
Olympic Village.
Led by Yuan Weimin, minister of the General Administration of Sport,
the group of 240 athletes, coaches and 27 officials left Beijing on a
chartered flight on Sunday.
In search of Olympic dreams and medal glory, the athletes comprise 33
marksmen, eight archers, 20 table tennis players, 20 divers, 52 swimmers,
13 weight lifters, 27 fencers,
20 women's softball players,
20 women's handball players and all athletes for field hockey, boxing,
judo, wrestling, cycling, tennis and beach volleyball.
The other athletes will leave Beijing separately, according to their
sporting schedules.
Some were ahead of the game - the women's soccer, gymnastics, rowing
and field hockey were already there.
A larger cash incentive has been announced for medal winners, the
General Administration of Sport said.
 Any gold medallists can expect a whopping 200,000 yuan (US24,184),
while silver and bronze winners will reap 120,000 yuan (US$14,510) and
80,000 (US$9,600).
Rewards have been increased for athletes finishing up in any position
from fourth to eighth place.
The cash prizes have been increased from the Sydney Olympic Games in
2000, where athletes could expect 150,000 yuan(US$18,138), 80,000
yuan(US$9,574) and 50,000 yuan(US$6,046) for medals.
"The athletes won't just get rewards from the State," said He Huixian,
assistant to the minister of the administration said. "They'll be paid
back from all walks of society, for example revenue from advertising."
China is sending its biggest and youngest Olympic team yet to the
Athens Games to compete in 26 out of 28 sports - absent only in baseball
and equestrian events.
The 407 Chinese athletes are gunning for at least 20 gold medals so
that China can lift their heads among nations like Russia and the United
States.
China finished third in the medal standings four years ago with 28
golds, 16 silvers and 15 bronzes - China's best ever overall Olympic
performance.
The Athens Olympic Organizing Committee said half of the 10,800
athletes that will enter the events have arrived at the Olympic Village,
Xinhua reported.
Peak arrival dates are on Monday and Tuesday, when about 2,000 athletes
are expected to check in each day.
(China Daily) | 
Updated: 2004-08-09 09:09