All roads lead to 2012 London Games

Chinese athletes flexed their collective muscles again, setting one world, 16 Asian and 30 national records at the 11th National Games, which ended in Shandong province last night.

The outstanding results at the country's biggest sports gala have provided a confidence boost and China is now looking optimistically towards the 2012 London Olympics.

"This National Games is one of only two multi-sports events for us before the London Games, so it is very important to our Olympic preparation," Xiao Tian, deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport, the governing body of China's sports, said yesterday.