Chinese boxing aims for gold medals at Beijing Olympics

Updated：2007-06-21 From：CRI

Chinese boxing national team aims for gold medals at Beijing 2008 Olympics, said chairman of Chinese Boxing Association Tuesday on the sideline of the 1st Chinese women's boxing championships.

"Since Bai Chongguang got gold medal at the 81 kilos class at the 11th Asian Games in 1990 to Zou Shiming got bronze medal of 48 kilos at Athens Olympics, Chinese boxing has become more and more mature," said Chang Jianping, also director of boxing and taekwondo administrative center of General Administration of Sport.

According to Chang, excellent athletes emerging in multitude ceaselessly is a sign of China boxing coming to maturity. "World gold medal winner Zhang Maomao, Zhang Xiyan as well as Zou have combined to give a shot in the arm of boxing," said Chang.

"Chinese boxing, whether men's or women's, is developing by leaps and bounds, many athletes could be in mid level of the world, especially in the 48 kilos men's division."

Although Chinese boxing is making progress all the time, it is difficult to get historic breakthrough at the Beijing Olympics.

In Asia, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan could pose threats to China; and the Philippines, South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea also have advantages in certain categories.

In the world, Cuba and Russia are dominant, having claimed five and three gold medals respectively from a sum of 11 at the Athens Olympics.

"Chinese men's and women's boxing will develop together whether the latter makes it to the 2012 Olympics or not," Chang said. "Chinese boxing may face many problems, but how to improve training methods is the linchpin." (Xinhua)