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SCMP Sport

China’s team for the forthcoming Paris Olympics was officially confirmed on Saturday, and it was packed with Games pedigree.
The 405 athletes named – one fewer than for the last Games three years ago in Tokyo – included 42 athletes who are already Olympic champions.
It also boasted twice as many women as men, with 269 to 136, as the country prepares to challenge the United States for supremacy at the top of the medal table.
Together, they will compete in 236 events across 30 sports at the Games in the French capital from July 26 to August 11. More than half, 223, will make their Olympic debut.

Speaking at a launch ceremony, Gao Zhidan, head of the Chinese delegation, called on the athletes to “strive for athletic success and show good sportsmanship”.
Skateboarder Zheng Haohao, at 11 years old, was the youngest China team member named, while racewalker Liu Hong, 37, was the oldest. Liu, who took gold in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, will go to her fifth Olympics, as will shot-putter Gong Lijiao, who won in Tokyo in 2021, and pole vaulter Li Ling.
With 56 athletes, 29 men and 27 women, athletics continued the recent trend of providing the biggest contingent, followed by swimming, whose already named squad was 32 strong.
The latter included 11 of the 23 swimmers revealed by reports in April to have failed doping tests ahead of the Tokyo Olympics yet still been allowed to compete, with Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun among those strongly fancied for medals.
The Chinese swimmers had reportedly tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned prescription heart medicine that can boost performance. World anti-doping officials confirmed the story, and said they accepted the findings of the Chinese doping authority that the tests had been contaminated and none of the athletes had deliberately taken the drug.
About 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries and regions are readying for Paris, with China again expected to pursue the US in the medal count.
China finished second in the Tokyo medal table with 89, behind the US’ 113, but China’s tally of 38 golds was only one fewer than the American total.

In June, Nielsen’s Gracenote released its latest medal table forecast for Paris. It projected the US would win the most medals overall (123), which would be its eighth successive time on top.
China was projected to finish second on total medals but challenge the US for first place on golds. The 87 medals forecast for China would be two fewer than in Tokyo, with the 36 golds forecast – one fewer than the US – was also two down on 2021.
The projection, expected to be updated three days before the July 26 opening ceremony, had Great Britain in third with 62 medals and hosts France fourth with 56.


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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

China’s Paris Olympics team: twice as many women as men, youngest is skateboarder Zheng

Zhang Yufei, pictured with her 200 metres butterfly gold medal at the Tokyo Games, will swim again in Paris. Photo: AP

Skateboarder Zheng Haohao competes in the Olympic qualifier series in Budapest in June. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Wang Shun, one of the swimmers implicated in the TMZ story, is in China’s squad for Paris. Photo: AFP

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Models wear the outfits to be worn during the Paris Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. Photo: Weibo/TeamChina中国国家队

China’s outfits for the opening and closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Weibo/TeamChina中国国家队

China basketball player Yang Shuyu (left) in the also criticised Tokyo ceremony outfit. Photo: Xiaohongshu/@那个盛夏

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Officials and athletes at the flag presentation ceremony for the Hong Kong delegation heading to the Paris Olympics. Photo: Eugene Lee

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Paris Olympics: Singapore swimmer Quah’s Games hopes dashed after historic relay qualification

Quah Ting Wen has been dropped from the Singapore squad going to the Paris Olympics. Photo: Getty Images

Singapore quartet (from left) Quah Ting Wen and sister Jing Wen, and sisters Letitia and Levenia Sim at the World Aquatics Championships in February, where they qualified for the Paris. Photo: Instagram/TeamSingapore 

Members of Singapore’s team react after being disqualified in the final of the 4x100m medley relay at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Photo: AFP

Sport

China

Paris Olympics 2024

42 of China’s team have won Olympic gold before, with the country set to challenge the US at the top of the medal table


42 of China’s team have won Olympic gold before, with the country set to challenge the US at the top of the medal table.


Zhang Yufei

China’s Paris Olympics team: twice as many women as men, youngest is skateboarder Zheng

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}42 of China’s team have won Olympic gold before, with the country set to challenge the US at the top of the medal table

42 of China’s team have won Olympic gold before, with the country set to challenge the US at the top of the medal table