A 267-member first main group of China's 637-strong Olympic
delegates left Beijing for the Athens Games on Sunday.
The group of 240 athletes, coaches and 27 officials left the
Beijing International Airport aboard a chartered Air China
flight.
Leading the group is Yuan Weimin, minister of the State General
Administration of Sport, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee
(COC) and chef-de-mission of the Chinese Olympic delegation.
Among the athletes are 33 shooters, eight archers, 20 table
tennis players, 20 divers, 52 swimmers, 13 weightlifters, 27
fencers, 20 women's softball players, 20 women's handball players
as well as athletes for field hockey, boxing, judo, wrestling,
cycling, tennis and beach volleyball.
Other Chinese Olympian athletes are to depart here separately
later, according to their competition schedules.
Teams of women's soccer, gymnastics, rowing and women's field
hockey had earlier arrived in Athens, ahead of the main batch of
the delegates.
At a ceremony here on Sunday to see the delegation off, Li
Zhijian, a ranking official of the State General Administration of
Sport, asked the athletes to unite as one and give their best shot
for good results in Athens. He also urged them to respect referees
and opponents in a fair-play manner.
Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili saw the delegates off at the
airport.
China aims to be among the leaders in the second "group" at the
Athens Games final medal standings, as the Untied States and Russia
are considered in the first. China finished third in the standings
in Sydney, which is China's best ever overall Olympic
performance.
China has announced cash awards for Olympic medal winners in
Athens. Cash bonus of 200,000 yuan (US$24,000) is promised for gold
medalist, 120,000 yuan (US$14,500) to silver medalist and 80,000
yuan (US$9,600) to bronze medalist. Coaches for the Olympic medal
winners will also be awarded.
The Chinese Olympic delegation consists of 407 athletes for 26
out of the 28 sports listed on the Athens Games program. Among the
Chinese Olympians, 84 have competed in three previous Games while
323 are to make their Olympic Games debut in Athens.
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2004)
