BEIJING - With just over a year to go until the Beijing Olympics, a leading Chinese sports official has poured cold water over expectations of a gold rush for the hosts.

China finished second behind the United States in the medals table at the 2004 Athens Games.

Deputy Minister of Sport Cui Dalin, however, said that in Olympic terms, China still trailed both the U.S. and Russia, who were third in the Athens medals table.

"American and Russia are stronger, we are far behind, especially in athletics, swimming and water sports," Cui, also vice chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee, told a news conference on Wednesday.

"122 of 302 Olympic events are in these sports, more than a third of all gold medals. In the sports where we are traditionally strong, we have little space for improvement."

China should realistically be thinking more about competing with the likes of Japan, Germany, Australia and France, he added.

"American and Russia are in leading group of their own, we are trying to be the leaders of the second group," he said.

After Athens, the sports ministry put into action the "119 Project", which was aimed at making improvements in the one-third of Olympic sports in which China is not strong.

However, the project had been a disappointment.

"We have been backward in these sports for a long time, and our training method and levels are undeveloped," Cui said.

"We have put in the effort but have not made big improvement."

Cui said China had identified some talented individuals in sports like boxing, wrestling and rowing, but was still weak in team sports.

He confirmed some 448 Chinese athletes had already booked their place at the Beijing Games and anticipated another 100-120 will join by next August.

With expectations high in the country, even the supposed advantage of being at home in 2008 might backfire in sports where steady nerves are vital.

"The pressure of being hosts may have a bad effect on the athletes, especially in our strong sports such as diving and shooting," he said.

Cui would not be drawn on how many gold medals China - who won 32 in Athens was expecting to win in Beijing.

He said it was highly unpredictable and in any case, not the only measure of their success.

"I believe our people will be satisfied as long as our athletes try their best. Gold medals aren't everything," he said.