Chinese athletes have won 87 world titles in 17 sports and events and set world records in 16 events in 2003, according to statistics provided by the State General Administration of Sports on Tuesday.

The Chinese won world titles in 22 weightlifting events, 17 Wushu events, seven events each in short-track speed skating and shooting, five events each in gymnastics and table tennis, four events each in diving and marine modeling, three events each in swimming, badminton and Chinese chess, two events in judo and one each in figure skating, rowing, taekwondo, volleyball and parachute jumping.

Of the world titles, 38 are Olympic events.

And the Chinese set world records in weightlifting, shooting, short-track speed skating and under-water swimming.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Chinese athletes have won 1,695 world titles and set or surpassed world records 1,106 times, the national sports governing body said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2003)