At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, China enjoyed its traditional supremacy in gymnastics, weightlifting, diving, shooting, table tennis and badminton, with more than three-quarters of the country's gold medals coming from these events. China's prospects for the upcoming London Olympics look equally bright, and the team boasts a number of leading medal contenders. So, let's take a closer look at some of China's leading contenders for Olympic glory.
Table tennis: four gold medals expected
Ding Ning leads China's medal charge in table tennis at London. |
● Women's singles
Competition time: July 28 to Aug 1
Contestants: Ding Ning & Li Xiaoxia
Gold prospect: China's star-studded table tennis team has an excellent chance of success in London, boasting the world number 1 and number 2 seeds.
● Women's doubles
Competition time: Aug 3 to Aug 7
Contestants: Ding Ning, Li Xiaoxia and Guo Yue
Gold prospect: China's women's table tennis team must be considered favorites for the team title. However, attention should go to the Beijing Olympics' runner-up team from Singapore, which also won the Marcel Corbillon Cup at the 2010 Moscow Table Tennis World Championships.
● Men's singles
Competition time: July 28 to Aug 2
Contestants: Zhang Jike & Wang Hao
Gold prospect: The two-time silver medalist Wang Hao will make his third bid for Olympic gold before his 29th birthday. China's younger contingent will be represented by No. 1 seed Zhang Jike, who will look to make his mark in the men's men's singles.
● Men's doubles
Competition time: Aug 3 to Aug 8
Contestants: Zhang Jike, Wang Hao and Ma Long
Gold prospect: Over the last decade, the men's table tennis team has won the Olympics, the World Championship and the Asian Games team titles. It's likely that China's "three titan", Zhang, Wang and Ma will give the country more reason to celebrate in London.
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