China keeps low expectation on Olympic short track speed skating

Three days before the fierce battles start, Chinese short track speed skating team tried to keep a low expectation on the coming Winter Olympics despite its past glory.

"We are very competitive in the women's events, but that doesn' t mean our athletes can definitely win gold medals," Tong Lixin, a senior official with the skating team said here Thursday.

The official said China will try to catch at least a gold medal in women's events at the Turin Olympics. "But whether athletes can make it or not depends on comprehensive factors including their technical level, consistency of performance and their cool minds against pressure."

China won two golds, two silvers and three bronzes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, among which five were from the women's events. Yang Yang (A) captured golds in women's 500m and 1,000m, also China's first ever gold medals in winter Olympics.

"As an athlete you always want to win, you should not compete otherwise. Of course I want to win the gold," Yang said after a training in Turin on her performance at the upcoming Olympics.

Yang said she felt much less pressure than last time. "I was the only one in the delegation expected to win a medal. I had everyone's hopes (resting on me). This time there are more Chinese skaters and skiers. I'm not the only one and I've already won."

In the 500m sprint event, Yang's team mate Wang Meng is the favorite for the gold. The 20-year-old skater won all four 500m World Cup events in 2005-2006 and dominated the 1,000m by winning two of four World Cup races. She holds the 1,000m world record of 1:30.172.

"It's really good. It's better than what I have thought," Wang, the Olympic debutant said. "I am happy to be competing. I hope my country will win a gold medal but I don't care if it's me or somebody else."

At the previous Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City 2002, women short track speed skating events were dominated by the Chinese and South Korean.

With three skaters to compete in the women's 500m at the Turin Winter Olympics, Canada appeared confident in challenging China and South Korea.

"We are the only country to have three women in the 500m. We don't have two girls in the same semifinal. It makes our chances very strong," Canadian speed skater Anouk Leblang-Boucher said at a press conference earlier.

In the longer distances, South Korea's young team is led by Jin Sun-Yu and Byun Chun-Sa as both will make their Olympic debut. Jin finished the 2005-06 World Cup in top rank and is favorite to win the 1,500m. Byun finished at least third in six individual World Cup 2005-2006 races at 1,000m or longer, solidifying her reputation as a powerful skater over long distances.

On men's events, Tong Lixing said China only expected a medal of any tint. "Many foreign teams are stronger than us, like the South Korea."

Li Jiajun, a silver medalist on 1,500m in Salt Lake City, said he would be satisfied if he could win a silver again. "Of course the best thing would be to win the gold but even getting that silver like last time would be enough," Li said after arriving in Turin.

At the 2002 winter Olympics, Canada ended up with two golds, one silver and three bronzes in the short track events, most of which were from men's events. Canadian skaters believe they are much stronger than they were four years ago.

"Five or six medals for short track, that would be awesome. I think it will be possible but no easy," Mathieu Turcottee, bronze medalist in the 1,000m in Salt Lake City 2002 said, when predicting medal chances within the Canadian team.

Meanwhile, a strong South Korean team featuring last season's overall World Cup leader Ahn Hyun-Soo is expected to take multiple gold medals in the men's competition.

Anto Apollo Ohno, a 2002 Olympic gold and silver medalist, will also lead the American team for a medal sweep in Turin.

The short track speed skating events of the 2006 Winter Olympics are scheduled to start from Feb. 12 in Turin.

Source: Xinhua