China's table-topping gold rush through the midpoint of the Beijing Games, has thrilled local fans, but the nation's sporting heads maintained a cautious tone, saying the team may not be able to win as many gold medals the rest of the way.

Cui Dalin, China's deputy Chef de Mission, believes Team China's best has passed since most competitions in the country's top sports have already ended.

"Our gold medal pace will slow down," Cui told a press conference yesterday. "There are so many events in which Chinese excel scheduled in the first half of the Games. That's why we are able to lead the medal tally now."

So far, China leads the medal tally with 35 golds, 16 more than the second-placed US. With another week to go, many believe China will break its previous best - 32 golds, a mark it set four years ago in Athens - and overtake the US as No 1 in the medal tally.

But Chinese officials poured cold water on the high expectations.

"We need to keep a clear mind. In the remaining program, we are not strong, particularly in athletics and team sports such as basketball and soccer."

China is traditionally strong in weightlifting, shooting, judo and badminton, and the Beijing Games has been no exception.

Chinese athletes have shot down five gold medals in shooting, which concluded yesterday. National judokas also bagged three golds, while the shuttlers won a triplet of gold medals.

The most astonishing performances have come from China's overwhelming weightlifters, who won eight golds out of nine events they entered.

"I am so happy that most of our athletes were able to perform their best," Cui said. "They lived up to the expectation, helping us reach the halfway task.

"I attribute the success to thorough preparation, and support from the home crowd."

Cui singled out Du Li, the female sharpshooter who missed the first gold of the Games in women's rifle but came back strong four days later to win the women's air rifle three positions, as the model athlete.

"How she managed to forget about the disappointment in a few days and pulled herself up to win the gold we cherish her spirit," Cui said.

In the coming week, China can still win a batch of gold medals in a number of sports, such as table tennis, taekwondo and gymnastics. It also has an outside gold medal chance in cycling, boxing, beach volleyball and sailing.

But Cui is reluctant to predict whether China will be able to top the medal tally and push the US, the medal leader since 1984 Los Angeles, into second place.

"We never considered surpassing someone in the medal tally as our goals," Cui said. "I don't have such prediction."

(China Daily August 18, 2008)