There are only six days for the Beijing Olympic rowing regatta to kick off, while the Chinese rowing team, as usual, keeps a low profile.
In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Chinese rowing finished with a best result of two fourth places in women's eight and women's lightweight doubles, only a step from a medal.
Even since 2004, Chinese rowing has developed by leaps and bounds, winning three golds in 2006 world championships, and five golds respectively in 2007 Amsterdam World Cup and 2008 Lucerne World Cup.
Despite the fact, Chinese rowing still keeps a low profile and rowers rarely receive any interviews even during world-class regattas.
Cao Jingwei, head of the Chinese rowing team, told Xinhua in a telephone interview that the whole team members, as the Olympics is coming, are exhilarated since they cherish the golden chance once in their lifetime.
"We admit we have pressure," said Cao, "And everyone has pressure. Everyone is equal in the Olympics. The important thing is to take the pressure off. But how?"
"For Chinese rowing, it is long regarded as a weakpoint in China's sports. That's also what we look at ourselves. We ask our rowers to think of themselves as a common athlete and take the Olympics as a normal regatta," Cao elaborated.
The team?flew to Beijing Sunday night from northeastern province of Heilongjiang, and will prepare the boats Monday morning.
"In the coming days, we won't take any intensity training, only to adjust to the climate and conditions in Beijing," said Cao.
The Olympic rowing competition will kick off on August 9th.
According to a senior official of China's water sports governing body, Chinese rowing may make a golden breakthrough in Beijing.
(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)