China will carry the Olympic hopes of Asia in Athens, with one eye on rivals Russia and the United States and the other on future glory at the 2008 Beijing Games.

"We predict tit-for-tat rivalry and it will be an arduous task to achieve our set goals," said Li Furong, a Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) vice president. The world's most populous country aimed for 20 golds and third place in the medals table, he said.

China will march into the Athens Olympic Stadium on Friday behind iconic National Basketball Association (NBA) player Yao Ming, at 2.29 metres the tallest athlete ever to compete in the Games.

Yao's marketing magic and winning personality have made him the symbol of emerging China and the globalisation of sport. Back home, his success has stoked patriotic fervour that is much in evidence in Athens.

"Athens is the cradle of Western civilisation, and China is its equivalent in the East," said He Huixian, another of 15 COC vice presidents.

Keen to make a strong showing at the Beijing Games, China have retired dozens of champions still in their prime in order to develop young talent for 2008. Only a fifth of the 407 Chinese athletes in Athens had Olympic experience, Li said.

China, competing in 26 of 28 events, are expected to dominate in table tennis, diving, and women's weightlifting. COC vice-president Xiao Tan predicted a "very good start" with the country's shooters and divers targeting five golds on the first medals day.

Korean Archers

South Korea are aiming for their best Olympic gold haul in Athens, counting on sharp-eyed archers and tough taekwondo martial arts experts to break their record of 12 golds won at the 1988 Seoul Games and again at Barcelona in 1992.

Team chief Shin Bark-jae said it was an "ambitious but achievable goal" for South Korea to win 13 golds and 36 medals overall and crack the top 10 in the final medals table after 12th place in Sydney.

South Korean coaches have predicted a sweep of four golds in taekwondo, a martial art developed in Korea, and, possibly, a further four golds in the archery, another clean sweep.

South Korea's appetite for sports glory was whetted by a surprise semi-final showing in the 2002 World Cup and opinion polls show soccer is the country's favourite event at Athens. A medal of any colour would win South Korea's footballers exemption from two years' mandatory military service.

Japan, Asia's wealthiest country, have brought to Athens their largest-ever number of athletes and are counting on baseball, judo and women's team sports to improve on the country's 15th-place medals table finish in Sydney.

Five of seven Japanese teams in Athens -- softball, baseball, volleyball, hockey and soccer -- are women. Tokyo has sent its strongest baseball team ever to challenge Cuba for the gold.

India, the second most populous country in the world after China, pales next to most of its Asian neighbours in nearly all sports but cricket, and won one women's weightlifting bronze in Sydney.

The Indian men's hockey team will be looking to return to the Olympics medals table for the first time since 1992. Long jumper Anju Bobby George will strive to win her country's first medal in athletics, while tennis professionals Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi round out India's medal hopefuls.

Newly independent East Timor will attend its first Olympic Games, with two marathon runners. Afghanistan is returning to the Olympic fold after years of war and turmoil with a five-member team, including its first female competitor.

Source: agencies