体坛英语新闻：China secures 53 athletics quota places in London Games, hoping for medals in 8 events

BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China has secured 53 quota spots in the track and field competition of the London Olympic Games and is pinning medal hopes on eight events, a senior official of Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) said here on Wednesday.

"Up to now, a total of 53 Chinese track and field athletes including 27 men and 26 women have qualified for the London Olympics," Feng Shuyong, vice CAA president and also head coach of the national athletics squad, told a press briefing.

"They will be competing in 28 events, of which 14 are men's and the rest women's," he added.

Although China's Olympic squad is yet to be announced, former world and Olympic hurdles champion Liu Xiang will for sure be the biggest star in the team. After withdrawing from the Beijing Games in 2008 due to an injury in the Achilles' tendon, the Athens Olympic champion is seeking redemption in London.

Liu Xiang has shown good form this season, clocking 12.97 seconds in Shanghai in May and a wind-aided, world record-tying mark of 12.87 seconds in Eugene early this month.

After winning a historic gold in the Daegu Worlds last year, Li Yanfeng (women's discus) has been regarded as another title hopeful for China, which finished first in the medal tally in Beijing Games but failed to pocket a gold from the track and field arena.

China's other top medal hopes include women's marathon, women's shot put, women's hammer, men's 50km race walk as well as men's and women's 20km race walk.

"Chinese athletes have a chance to win medals in these events. But nothing will be taken for granted as all Chinese athletes, including Liu Xiang, face fierce competition in London," said Feng.