China's leading sprinter Wen Yongyi is full of confidence when talking about his qualification to the Beijing Olympic Games next year on home soil.
"I'm quite sure that I could reach the goal of entering the Beijing Olympics," said the Guangdong native after finishing first in the men's 100 meters heat at the opening day of the track and field competitions of the 6th Chinese City Games in Wuhan, central China on Monday, with a time of 10.43 seconds.
The qualifying time of the 2008 Beijing Olympics for men's 100m sprint is 10.21 seconds, while the 20-year-old has kept his latest mark around 10.21 seconds.
"I know that there're still a lot for me to improve to vie for an Olympic berth," said Wen. "But I'm quite confident that I could make myself a far better one after this winter's training camp."
The former indoor record holder of China, who never wins any title on world stage, is among the best four sprinters of the country, namely the 2007 World Universiade runner-up Zhang Peimeng, the former champion of the same event Hu Kai and an unfamous one Yang Yaozu, while the highest expected one Hu Kai with a bad leg injury.
"To qualify for the Olympic Games will be a great achievement for Chinese, if you know something about the level of China's sprinters," Wen added. "So the four of us may set our main goal on the 4X100 meters race."
(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2007)