By sportswriter He Leijing
BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) -- With the Paris Olympics just one month away, Chinese athletes are in the home stretch of their preparations for the world's premier sporting event, aiming for medals, diplomas (top eight finishes), and to show their mettle against the world's best competitors.
AIMING FOR GOLD
Traditionally strong in table tennis and shooting, China made an impressive showing at the Tokyo Olympics, securing four gold medals in each of these sports. This time around, Chinese table tennis players are hoping to improve their medal haul after narrowly missing out on the mixed doubles title in Tokyo.
"We cannot take for granted that these five gold medals belong to the Chinese team. All five gold medals are in Paris, and they are reserved for the brave and the wise, for those who excel the most," said Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association.
The Chinese diving squad, also known as the "Dream Team," will be sending a mix of established stars and young talents. Cao Yuan will become a four-time Olympian, while Quan Hongchan, Chen Yuxi, Wang Zongyuan, and Xie Siyi will be competing in their second Olympic Games.
As usual, the first gold medal of the Paris Olympics will be determined in shooting when the mixed team 10m air rifle event starts hours after the opening ceremony. China, represented by two pairs - world champions Han Jiayu and Du Linshu, and Olympic silver medalist Sheng Lihao and Huang Yuting - stands a good chance of claiming the coveted honor.
Also eyeing a clean sweep of Olympic titles is the Chinese badminton team, who has secured the maximum two Olympic spots in each of the five badminton events. "The Chinese team will strive for gold in all five events," said Zhang Jun, president of the Chinese Badminton Association.
Shi Yuqi, ranked world number one in men's singles, has already secured the top seed for the Paris Games. "Facing the Paris Olympics, I need to overcome off-court distractions, focus on the matches, and pursue my dream of becoming an Olympic champion," he said.
In the swimming pool, Olympic champions Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun, alongside world champion Qin Haiyang, will spearhead China's star-studded squad and look to surpass their haul of three gold medals from the Tokyo Games.
The Weightlifting World Cup in April saw the Chinese team win 11 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze medals, breaking five world records. With insights into their competitors' strength, the Chinese weightlifters are now strategically fine-tuning their preparations for Paris.
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
With titles including World Cup runners-up, Asian Cup champions, and Asian Games champions, the Chinese women's basketball team has high expectations for the Paris Olympics. However, the team managed only one win against four losses in recent warm-up games.
Injuries have plagued the basketball team, putting significant pressure on their defense and rebounding. "Time is very tight, but the whole team is overcoming difficulties and actively preparing. We are diligently training every day, hoping to adjust the team's condition through our European tour," said head coach Zheng Wei.
For the Chinese women's volleyball team, a recent victory against world number one Türkiye has boosted their morale ahead of the Olympic Games. "We will strengthen our coordination and tactical execution. At the Paris Olympics, we will give our all in every match and showcase the spirit of Chinese women's volleyball," said head coach Cai Bin.
On the track, Asian record holder in the men's 200m, Xie Zhenye, aims to complete eight rounds of competition in Paris by advancing to the finals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay.
China's sprint star Su Bingtian announced on social media his determination to recover from injury and fully prepare for the Paris Olympics. His progress will be eagerly anticipated.
SEEKING NEW BREAKTHROUGHS
After three sports: skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing, debuted at the Tokyo Olympics, the sport of breaking will make its debut this year in Paris.
A bunch of post-00s athletes are eager to make a mark for Chinese sports in Paris.
"Qualifying for the Olympics means a lot to me, having gone through all the challenges. This will be my first Olympics, and I want to enjoy it and do my best," said the 18-year-old climber Luo Zhilu.
15-year-old Yang Siqi will be China's first female surfer to compete at the Olympic Games this summer. "Participating in the Olympic Games is only my first goal. I have a bigger dream," said Yang.
China women secured the twelfth and final place in the Olympic rugby sevens competition with victory at the World Rugby Sevens Repechage in Monaco on Sunday.
"I am extremely excited and happy to be one step closer to my goal," said player Hu Yu after the match.
With less than 30 days left before the rugby competition kicks off, time is tight for the Chinese rugby team. "We will give our all on the Olympic stage, embodying the spirit of our team and letting more people know about the Chinese women's rugby team," said forward Ma Xiaodan. ■
