Young Chinese women whose "eye length is three-tenths of the face" and who have leveled shoulders and curvaceous thighs now have a competitive edge in joining the Olympic Games in August.

In another example of meticulous planning for the Summer Games, organizers are scouting for 40 hostesses among students in Shanghai's 10 universities -- with extremely detailed standards in appearance and body shape, local media reported.

According to the requirement, candidates should be between 18 and 24 and 1.68 and 1.78 meters in height. They should have a "ruddy and shiny complexion", "elastic skin" and "a plump but not fat body".

They should be built in such a way that helps demonstrate "the healthy and encouraging beauty of human bodies", added the requirement.

It also set strict standards on facial features, including the ratio between the "width of the nose and the length of the face", "width of the mouth and width between the pupils", Shanghai's Xinmin Evening News reported.

The candidates would also be judged from their demeanor and intellectual qualities by a panel of experts and have to go through three rounds of competitions before being selected.

Shanghai is the only place other than Beijing where Olympic organizers are searching for medal ceremony hostesses.

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2008)