Aiming to break new ground

Beijing: Table tennis is China's national sport, sometimes called simply "national ball" here. Basketball and football are both gaining huge popularity as spectator and recreational sports. And China take great pride in its dominance in diving and badminton, as well as expecting great things of their male and female gymnasts.

But the two most desired gold medals among Chinese citizens in the 2008 Olympics aren't in any of those sports, according to a poll by the country's Xinhua news agency. The events the Chinese people really want to win are the 110-metre hurdles (a men's event) and women's volleyball.

Success in these two events challenges stereotypes that many Chinese people believe about themselves-namely, that they (and all Asians) are not good at athletics or at team sports, especially "big-ball" sports (volleyball, football, basketball).

China won gold in both events In the 2004 Olympics, Liu Xiang became the first Chinese man to win track and field gold and the volleyball team has won China's only team sport golds (in 1984 and 2004).

Stereotypes

"In both cases, it's not just about one person," says Raymond Zhou, a columnist for China Daily.

"We Chinese often convince ourselves that Chinese, and Asians in general, are not good at track and field. If Liu Xiang can consistently break that stereotype, it gives people hope that Asians can compete."

"The women's volleyball team is the only team in the three major big ball sports that we have hope for a gold medal."

They may have 1.3 billion fans pulling for them, but neither Liu nor the women's volleyball team have an easy path to gold in Beijing. Liu lost his world record in June, when Cuba's Dayron Robles clocked 12.87 seconds in a race in the Czech Republic.

"[Robles] has to be the favourite right now, having run four of the five fastest times in the world this season," says Ralph Lindeman, track and field coach at the US Air Force Academy.

Asking around on the streets of Beijing reveals that people are aware that Liu has a real challenger in Robles, but many believe that Liu has a mental edge.

"Liu will be under tremendous pressure, particularly since he will not have raced since May," Lindeman says. "Nevertheless, he's a proven champion and has run his best races in the biggest competitions."

It's not a two-man race, though. The US have two contenders -David Oliver, who ran a 12.95 at the US Olympic Trials, and Athens silver medallist Terrence Trammell.

Tough challenge

If the three legitimate challengers awaiting Liu sounds like a tall order for an Olympic champion, China's women's volleyball team have an even tougher challenge. They are one of six teams that are all medal contenders.

Brazil won this summer's Federation Internationale de Volleyball World Grand Prix in Japan.

Cuba, Italy, the United States and China took the next four spots. Russia didn't compete but is also expected to challenge for a medal.

"There are so many good teams. China does not have a special advantage," Xinhua's Wang says.