Zhang Jian, teacher of Beijing University of Physical Education, Tuesday left for UK with the advance party to prepare for his swimming across the English Channel.
If without serious mishaps, Zhang Jian will swim across the 33.8-km English Channel on July 29. He will have some exercises for getting used to it when he arrives at the UK.
Zhang Jian started to make preparations for the activity from last October. He had a long-distance swimming practice in the Jinhai Lake, covering 30 km in the 17°C water in May. In June, he conducted an adaptive practice in Longqingxia where the water temperature was only 15°C. In order to ensure a strong physical ability, Zhang Jian keeps on a 20,000-m exercise every day and has 12-hour super long-distance practice every month. He indicated that he is in a very good shape and full of confidence of the activity of crossing the English Channel.
Monday saw a farewell ceremony given to Zhang Jian by the activity organizing committee in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. China Life Insurance Company provided Zhang with an accident insurance worth of 1.5 million yuan.
(People's Daily 07/17/2001)
