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Worlds are just warm-up for 2008, says China
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-15 11:01
Two golds would give him 15 career world or Olympic titles, surpassing a mark
set by Li Ning.
Members of the
Chinese national gymnastics team Zhang Lin (L) and Fan Ye (R) practice at
Beijing's National Gymnastics Centre November 9, 2005. China's gymnasts
are training hard almost every day ahead of this month's world
championships in Melbourne. [Reuters] | "Xiaopeng
is very self-assured and confident, and he has already climbed out from the
valley of his failure at the Olympics," men's coach Chen Xiong has been quoted
as saying.
"At this competition, we're not asking too much of him, so the pressure is
low. If he breaks the 14 gold-medal record, then he breaks it, but we're not
specifically going after it."
Li, 24, injured his foot ahead of China's 10th National Games in October, but
Zhang said he was recovering well and should be in shape to shine on the
parallel bars and vault, his specialities.
"From superhuman effort comes superhuman achievement," reads another slogan
hanging over pictures of Li and 41 other Chinese gymnastics greats.
Yet China's coaches do fear that the hard training schedule could leave their
gymnasts worn out in Melbourne, especially since they have recently competed at
the National Games and the East Asian Games.
"Exhaustion is our biggest challenge," said women's coach Lu Shanzhen.
To make sure the athletes get their sleep, Lu and the other coaches have
imposed strict rules regarding free time.
Gymnasts' computers and car keys have been confiscated, they are not allowed
out at night and the lights go out at 10 p.m. in their state-provided
apartments.
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