China

Two-time Olympians return to lead Chinese gym squad

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-08-24 19:21

BEIJING -- Olympic veterans Yang Wei and Huang Xu are set to compete in the 2006 world artistics gymnastics championships as the 18-strong lineup were disclosed on Thursday.

The namelist, congested with Olympic and world champions, will finally be reduced to six men and six women pending the tournament slated for Octobor 13-21 in Aarhus, Denmark, but Yang and Huang were strongly hinted to stay on.

The two veterans, who had participated in Sydney and Athens Olympic Games, are set to make their debut in a major international tournament since Athens. They missed the 2005 Melbourne championships and a series of World Cup events this year.

"They were absent (from major competition) just to give young gymnasts more show time. But they have trained well and are very competitive for the championships," said Chinese team manager Zhang Peiwen.

"I think they are ready and will try their best," he said.

China will send a team combined with veterans and youths to Aarhus but their leading gymnast Li Xiaopeng had been confirmed to be absent due to injury.

Men's lineup also features Athens pommel horse gold medallist Teng Haibin, world champion Xiao Qin and 2001 world all-around champion Feng Jing. The other four were relatively new faces in international arena.

Vault specialist Cheng Fei, gold medallist in Melbourne, will lead women's nine-person squad, which also include 2003 world champion Fan Ye on balance beam and Olympic all-around bronze medallist Zhang Nan.

Six teenagers fill in the other spots in women's lineup.

Chinese head coach Huang Yubin promised that Chinese team, eager to make a strong comeback after Athens waterloo in 2004, would exert themselves for good results.

"This tournament will be the first world championships to adopt new rules and therefore is very important for all the teams. And it's an opportunity for us to restore image. We will try hard," he said.

Chinese 18-strong lineup:

Men's

Yang Wei, Huang Xu, Teng Haibin, Xiao Qin, Feng Jing, Liang Fuliang, Chen Yibing, Dong Zhendong, Zou Kai;

Women's

Cheng Fei, Fan Ye, Zhang Nan, Li Ya, Pang Panpan, He Ning, Zhou Zhuoru, Han Bing, Huang Lu.