China is determined to snatch six plus gold medals at the 2009 Winter Universiade to be officially opened on Wednesday evening in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, said a senior sports official.

"We will try to set a new record on home soil by taking over six gold medals, and stand top six on the medal tally," said Zhao Yinggang, director of China's winter sports governing body.

So far China had its best record of six gold medals in the history of Winter Universiade. During the 2007 Turin Winter Universiade, the Chinese athletes bagged three gold, six silver and six bronze, standing the fifth on the medal table.

"If our athletes make breakthrough in front of home fans, we hopefully can make it to top three on the medal standing," said Zhao.

The Harbin Universiade was considered as a rehearsal for the 2010 Vancuvor Winter Olympics, he noted, adding athletes expect more experience from the Games.

Forecasting China's competitive sports, Zhao said the host has chances to win gold in six major sports, namely, figure skating, free-style skiing, snowboarding, curling, speed skating and short-track speed skating.

Referring curling as a rising sport in China, Zhao said both the women's and men's teams made rapid progress in the sport although it was introduced to China just six years ago. The women's curling team had already nailed tickets for the Vancouver Olympics.

China sent a 359-member largest-ever delegation for the Games, including 193 students from 13 universities and colleges across the country. They will compete in 69 of the 81 events.

Among the star athletes are figure skaters Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao, the silver medalists of the pairs at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. The students at Harbin Sports College are aiming to reap their third straight victory at the Universiade since 2005.

The Winter Universiade attracted some 2,500 athletes, coaches, judges and referees from 44 countries and regions. They will compete in 12 sports of Alpine skiing, cross-country, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, nordic combined, biathlon, speed skating, short track speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey and curling.

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2009)