China keeps low key at East Asian Games
28/10/2005 17:01
Despite the presence of 11 Athens Olympic champions on its roster, China
has kept a low key about its medal prospects at the upcoming East Asian Games in
Macau.
"It is hard to predict how many medals we will win at these games,"
Cui Dalin, China's deputy Chef de Mission, told a press conference in Macau on
Friday.
"I think the competition here would be highly intense and the medals
difference between delegations should be small," he said.
China has dominated
the East Asian Games since 1993, winning around half of the gold medals
available at each of the previous editions.
With its best-ever gold medal
haul at last year's Olympics in Athens -- 32 golds after the United States'35,
China is expected to enjoy another gold medal harvest in Macau.
Cui, however,
warned against underestimating China's East Asian rivals at the Oct. 29-Nov. 6
games.
"Each country or region has its own strong sports. Even Hong Kong and
Macau are highly competitive in some events. They can also cause upset," said
Cui.
China has brought the largest contingent of 394 athletes, followed by
Japan, 337, and South Korea, 305.
A total of some 1,900 athletes from China,
South Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Hong
Kong of China, Macau of China, Chinese Taipei and Guam will contest for 234 gold
medals in 17 sports at the 4th East Asian Games.
Xinhua
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