Chinese Judokas confident of extending golden Olympic journey in Beijing
5/9/2008 17:54
Four years after collecting five medals including two golds at the Athens
Paralympic Games, Chinese Judokas are confident of repeating the feat in the
2008 Paralympic Games on home soil.
"We have not set any specific goal, but I
am confident we can get one gold medal at least," said Zhang Guosheng, team
leader of Chinese judo team to the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. "We will try
to perform to our best standard."
With the retirement of Athens Paralympics
titlists Wang Yunfeng and Xue Lanmei, former world champion Yuan Yanping
spearheaded the Chinese gold medal hopefuls in Beijing.
"Yuan is a very
talented player," Zhang told Xinhua. "She first took part in the sport in 2005
and one year later crowned at the World Championships."
The 32-year-old Yuan,
a graduate from the Beijing International Studies University, is also the
English teacher for her teammates and coaches.
"We have two academic study
sessions every week and she teaches us to speak English, she is a really good
teacher," Zhang said.
All the eight members from the Chinese team are amateur
athletes while they have gathered from last May for the training camp of the
Beijing Paralympics.
"It's the first time that our team has had regular
training for such a long time, all the players sacrificed a lot in order to take
part in the Paralympic Games," Zhang said.
For example, Wang Song, a B1
player who will compete in the men' s +100 kg category, left his bread-earning
massage shop to his wife to devote himself to the preparation of his first
Paralympic Games.
"His message shop is in Beijing and he has to pay 6,000 RMB
rent per month, it's really difficult for his wife, who can't see either, to run
it on her own," Zhang said. "But he had no hesitation, because it's his dream to
take part in the Paralympics on home soil. "
Xu Zhilin, Athens bronze
medallist in the men's 66kg, and Guo Huaping will play in their second
consecutive Paralympic Games while Yuan Yanping, Li Xiaodong, Wang Song, Cui Na,
Wang Lijing and Zhou Qian are all to make their debut.
Xinhua
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