CHINA will send 405 athletes, including 42 Olympic champions, to the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, as a 716-member delegation was officially announced in Beijing on Saturday.

The Chinese delegation includes 136 male and 269 female athletes. Even with 10 events reduced from the official program at Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 will mark the biggest representation of Team China at an overseas edition of the Games with its athletes having qualified in 236 medal events across 30 sports, out of a total number of 329 events in 32 sports on the sports program in Paris.

Gao Zhidan, head of the Chinese Olympic delegation, called on these Paris-bound athletes to “strive for athletic success and show good sportsmanship” at the delegation’s launch ceremony.

A total of 223 Chinese athletes will make their Olympic debut in Paris, while women’s shot put Olympic champion Gong Lijiao, Olympic champion race walker Liu Hong and three-time Asian Games champion Li Ling are set to go for their fifth Olympic Games.

Eleven-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao is the youngest member of the Chinese delegation, and Liu Hong, 37, is the oldest competitor. Both of the two athletes are from Guangdong Province.

China’s diving squad, which has already won 47 Olympic gold medals since 1984, aims to sweep all eight golds on offer this time.

“I feel I am in good shape now, and I am more experienced and mature than three years ago,” said Olympic champion Wang Zongyuan.

“I am honored to represent our country. I hope every athlete of the delegation can do their best.”

Teng Haibin, coach of the men’s gymnastics team, vowed to improve on their performance from three years ago.

Around 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries and regions are expected to take part in the Paris Olympics from July 26 to Aug. 11.

China finished second behind the United States in the medal table with 38 golds, 32 silvers and 19 bronzes at Tokyo 2020.

(Xinhua)