Trainning abroad

Since the women's cycling track 500-meter time trial was replaced by BMX in the Beijing Olympics, the women's sprint has become an Olympic gold-taking point for the Chinese Cycling Association (CCA). As part of the "2008 Strategy" for the Olympics, Guo was sent to Switzerland Cycling Training Center in 2002 and was coached by Frederick Magne, a French legend who had won seven world championships in sprint.

The hard-working girl devoted herself to daily training on the second day she arrived in Switzerland. During the past several years, she had been trained there for at least eight months each year.

According to Guo, the training in Switzerland features "little quantity, but high quality". Guo had experienced foreign methods of training in Beijing, so she quickly got used to the foreign training.

"I have already got used to be trained overseas, and most important thing is that everyone can see the results of being trained there," Guo said.

Training abroad has proven to be effective. At the 2003 World Youth Track Championships in Moscow, Guo snatched the gold medal in the women's 500-meter timed trial. Though Guo was too young to compete in the 2004 Athens Olympics, she won three out of six gold medals at the World Youth Cycling Championships that year, and tooktwo silver medals in the 2005 and 2007 World Cups.

Gold dream in Beijing 

In April, the 22-year-old star suffered a heavy blow in the Manchester world track championships, where she finished fourth in sprint. However, Guo still keep high morale for the upcoming Olympics.

"Right now, I am in a good form. I even can not wait for the day (competition day) to come. I feel excited about competing with world top level sprinters. I have confidence on myself," Guo said.

"In Switzerland, following my coach's new strategies for Olympics, I tried my best to regain more energy during the past two month. I still need to practice before the Olympics," added Guo.

Under the guidance of her new coach Daniel Morelon, a former French cycling star with eight world championship and triple Olympic titles, Guo made some progress in speeding. She set a new Asian record of 200-meter in sprint in 12.002 seconds in Manchester.

"Guo is good at sprinting, but she need to be more stronger. Now she had became more muscular. I think six to eight cyclists have the chance to win the gold in her discipline," Morelon said.

At the Beijing Olympics, Guo will compete with British legend Victoria Pendeton, rising star Rebecca Romero and American specialist Jennie Reed in the women's sprint.

Guo said: "We all know each other well. Pendeton has speed and experience and Romero is physically strong. As for Reed, she beat me 2-1 in Manchester. I do not want that thing to happen again."

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)