Eight girls in red tops and bright green shorts dance energetically on stage.

Gyrating to the beat of hip-hop music, the girls send temperatures soaring on a warm summer's day.

Students from Beijing Sport University go through a dance routine July 18, 2007. [Yang Shizhong/China Daily]

Welcome to the Beijing Second Cheerleading Championship launched yesterday.

Winners of the contest, organized by the Beijing municipal sports bureau, will perform at the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Cheerleaders have a positive effect on athletes and raise the excitement in stadiums," Zhang Yujia, 20, a college student, said.

"Visitors to the games need a visual switch between events. Our performances hopefully will add to the atmosphere of the Games," Zhang said.

Yao Pengbo, coach of the champion team last year, said: "Cheerleading is a sport too. It is as entertaining as the Games."

But in China, cheerleading still needs to raise its profile, he said, citing lack of exposure.

Despite its slow development, to dance at the Olympic Games is nonetheless a cheerleader's dream, Yao said.

Michelle Su, a 26-year-old advertising agent and part-time cheerleader, said: "Our performance will show the world China's passion and enthusiasm for sports.

"I will be very happy to cheerlead for athletes and visitors from other countries.

"I want the world to know that China has cheerleaders too," Su said.

Learning from cheerleaders in Western countries, Su and her teammates also add a Chinese flavor to their routines, such as martial arts.