China to send 407 athletesto Athens

CHINA has named a 407-strong squad for the Olympics with the aim of securing at least 20 golds, but there was no room for world badminton champion Xia Xuanze or double Olympic diving winner Li Na.

“Getting 28 gold medals, as we did in Sydney, is pretty hard. I’d say if we get 20 gold medals, that would be quite good,” said Li Furong, vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

In Sydney four years ago, China finished third in the medals’ table behind powerhouses the US and Russia. China’s squad for Athens is its biggest ever Olympic delegation with women outnumbering men 269 to 138, competing in 26 sports - more than ever.