Delegation looks to try and match record medal haul from Vancouver

China has most likely lost two of its gold medal favorites in skating, but the delegation is still predicting a strong medal haul at the Sochi Olympics.

Most of the Chinese athletes have arrived in the coastal city for the Games which open on Friday, and confidence is high in the camp.

Members of China's Olympic curling team pose with mascots during a welcoming ceremony in the Athletes Village at the Olympic Park ahead of the Sochi Games. Shamil Zhumatov / Reuters

"If the athletes bring out what they have done in training, they are capable of winning two or three gold medals," said Xiao Tian, deputy chef de mission.

Four-time Olympic short track speedskating champion Wang Meng withdrew from Sochi due to a double fracture in her right ankle three weeks ago when she crashed into a teammate during a training session in Shanghai.

Reigning speedskating world champion Yu Jing might also miss the Games as she has a persistent abdominal injury.

However, the delegation claims it is ready for the challenges and is expected to come close to its achievements at the 2010 Vancouver Games, where China claimed a record high of five gold medals, two silver and four bronze.

"The Chinese athletes are well prepared for the competitions. They will fight for gold medals as best they can," Xiao said.

"We will try to get the same results as at the last Games, but Wang's absence will affect our gold prospects greatly. The whole delegation is striving for good results without her. I hope her teammates can put on an excellent performance."

Without captain Wang, the torch in short track has been passed to younger teammates Fan Kexin and Liu Qiuhong, who are expected to continue China's dominance in the women's 500m event.

"We will still fight hard, even with our captain injured," said Fan, 20, the world champion in 2011 and 2012. "We have been preparing for the Olympics for a long time and our team is united.

"I have been working hard in training and I will be very happy if I can perform as well as I have in training."

In speedskating, Wang Bei-xing is the top hope without Yu, as the Vancouver bronze medalist enjoys her third Olympic trip.

"No matter what happens, we have to face it. The pressure is always there," Wang Beixing said. "It is my third Olympic Games and I am in good shape now. Hopefully I can make good use of my experience and perform to my best."

Besides the skating events, freestyle skiing aerials are another potential gold-mining area as China's teams are ranked among the world's best.

Two-time Olympic women's runner-up Li Nina came out of retirement to win two World Cup series events this season, while younger teammate Xu Mengtao, the reigning world champion, has also performed well.

On the men's side, Liu Zhongqing, the Vancouver Games bronze medalist, has been in great form and topped the overall rankings this season while Qi Guangpu is the current world champion.

"Both the men's and women's teams are in good shape this season and they are strong enough for the gold medals," said Ren Hongguo, deputy secretary-general of the delegation.

"But the aerials events depend much on the weather conditions and how the athletes perform on the day," he said.

In team sports, China's curlers are also chomping at the bit.

"The team is as ready as we are going to be. We are excited and they feel confident," Marcel Rocque, the Canadian head coach of the team, told China Daily.

China's former world championship team claimed a bronze in Vancouver but then hit a lean period and had to secure its Olympic ticket through the final qualifications in Fuessen, Germany, in December.

But Rocque is expecting a good result in Sochi.

"I am a Canadian. I always hope for No 1," said the coach, who won four Canadian titles and three world championships as a player.

"They are going to do the best they can and I know that. That is all we can do. So as long as they perform at their best, I will be happy with whatever the result is.

"I am just hoping they will perform their best and we will have a good time at the Olympics."

China has sent 66 athletes to Sochi to compete in four sports and 49 events. About 6,000 athletes from 85 countries and regions will compete at the Games, where 98 gold medals are up for grabs.

leilei@chinadaily.com.cn