Podium finishers start to pin hopes for Beijing Olympics in 2008 after winning medals in Beijing on Friday at the "Good Luck Beijing" China Open Canoe/Kayak competitions.
Germany's Nico Bettge and Jan Benzien, who respectively won the gold and bronze medal at the men's canoe singles (C1), told a press conference at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park that Beijing offers a good venue and both of them would do their best to prepare for the coming Olympics.
"I would try my best to be selected for the Beijing Olympics though the national qualification is very difficult," said Bettge.
Benzien echoed: "I'll try to make it because today's results give me a lot of confidence."
Fabian Dorfler, also from Germany, expressed exactly the same feeling after taking the silver in the kayak (K1) men's race.
"I will give my best to be selected, although there are a lot of good paddlers back in Germany," he said.
Scott Parsons, an American paddler who won a bronze medal in the kayak race, told press that he hopes to make a "comeback" to Beijing next year.
Kayak coaches of France, Germany and the United States said that they would organize some intensive training for their athletes before the Beijing Olympic Games, while the German team announced that they would choose Australia as the place for their 66-day training camp.
Source: Xinhua
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