'Father of Judo in China' preparing gold medal hopeful

(BEIJING, June 19) -- As the coach of Olympic champions Li Zhongyun, Zhuang Xiaoyan and Yuan Hua, Liu Yongfu is considered by many to be the father of Judo in China. This summer in Beijing, yet another of his disciples will be aiming for Olympic gold.

Liu is hoping that Yang Xiuli, who is competing in the 78kg weight class, will add to a string of success for the coach that includes four consecutive gold medals in the Olympics from 1988 to 2000.

As coach and athlete prepare for the Summer Games, Liu is emphasizing the importance of confidence and determination.

"Our players are in good condition physically now," the experienced coach explains, "We must pay more attention to the psychological side."