GUANGZHOU - Riding a wave of confidence inspired by a stellar showing at August's SportAccord Combat Games in Beijing, China enters the Guangzhou Asiad aiming to match or surpass its success in Doha four years ago that resulted in 20 gold medals in wushu, boxing, taekwondo, judo and wrestling.

China's Zou Shiming (left) fights against Ireland's Paddy Barnes during the 2008 Olympic Games. [Photo/Agencies]

China's Wu Jingyu delivers a kick at the World Taekwondo Championship on May 17 2007. [Photo/Agencies]

China's Cui Wenjuan competes during the wushu event at the World Games on July 24, 2009. [Photo/Agencies]

However, the absence of some key veteran athletes, combined with an overall heightened competition level in these events, will make rising to that challenge all the more difficult.

Taekwondo

Heading into the Guangzhou Asiad, coaches appeared cautious about China's prospects by stating their goal is to win gold in the women's event and any medal on the men's side.

That's in sharp contrast to China's record haul of three golds in Doha four years ago and the Republic of Korea's stated goal of seven golds in Guangzhou.

Without two-time Olympic champion Chen Zhong, who retired after the Beijing Games, China is looking to Wu Jingyu, gold medalist in the 49kg class in Beijing and the defending Asiad champion.

Another medal hope for China is Luo Wei, who won the 67kg class at the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, the defending Asiad champion's competitiveness has come into question as she has seldom appeared on world stage in the past three years.