Tim Watt: Asia

China stint has Yufang buoyed up - BY AFTAR SINGH

KUALA LUMPUR: Walker Yuan Yufang is in excellent shape after seven weeks of intensive training in China. And she has set a target of finishing among the top 10 in the Athens Olympics 20km race. The 27-year-old Yufang trained in Kunming together with top Chinese walkers, among them Jing Jiang, who was the silver medallist in the World Race Walking Cup in Naumburg, Germany, in May and Wang Liping. Yufang, who returned home on Monday, said: [base "]I am confident of achieving my target of a top 10 finish.

Record Chinese delegation to attend the Games

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhuanet) -- China will send a record 407 athletes to compete in 26 sports at the upcoming Athens Olympics Games, aiming to finish top three in the medal standings, said vice Chef-de-Mission Li Furong here on Tuesday. The delegation, announced here at a press conference, will be headed by Yuan Weimin, Minister of the State Administration of Sports, and also consists of 226 officials, interpreters and medical staff. "We have set two records this time," Li said. "The first is the number of athletes, and the second is the sports we will compete in." China finished third in the medal standings four years ago in Sydney with 28 golds, 16 silvers and 15 bronzes, behind the United States and Russia. Wang Liping claimed an unexpected gold medal four years ago in the women's 20km walking event, the only gold for China in the track and field competition, which is the biggest medal-bounded event in the Games.

Arms a-swinging, 'power walkers' enter mainstream

Former US Olympic Squad coach Bohdan Bulakowski likes to spread the concept of "power walking" -

JIN Sze walking in the right steps to glory

The Star - Malaysia - SARAWAKIAN Lai Jin Sze is walking in the footsteps of Malaysian ace Yuan Yufang. ... completed her sweep of both the gold medals, winning the 10,000m race