China will send nearly 1,000 competitors to next month's Asian Games, lead by Olympic badminton gold medalist Lin Dan and former world champion hurdler Liu Xiang.
After finishing with the most golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China is expected to dominate the two-week event in Guangzhou in southern China.
The squad includes 35 Olympic champions, although two-thirds of the 977 athletes will be competing at a major event for the first time, preparing for the 2012 Olympics.
"We consider the Asian Games an important part of our preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games," delegation head Duan Shijie was quoted as saying in the official China Daily.
China's men's basketball team will be a focus of attention. The team is aiming to repeat as Asian Games champions, but will be closely scrutinized after a brawl with Brazil's national team earlier this month. National coach Bob Donewald Jr., a manager and three players were suspended by the Chinese Basketball Association on Friday for the ugly on-court violence.
The team's preparations for the Asian Games were put on hold to give players time to reflect on the incident, but training has since resumed.
The games, which start Nov. 12, will attract more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 42 sports.
After finishing with the most golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China is expected to dominate the two-week event in Guangzhou in southern China.
The squad includes 35 Olympic champions, although two-thirds of the 977 athletes will be competing at a major event for the first time, preparing for the 2012 Olympics.
"We consider the Asian Games an important part of our preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games," delegation head Duan Shijie was quoted as saying in the official China Daily.
China's men's basketball team will be a focus of attention. The team is aiming to repeat as Asian Games champions, but will be closely scrutinized after a brawl with Brazil's national team earlier this month. National coach Bob Donewald Jr., a manager and three players were suspended by the Chinese Basketball Association on Friday for the ugly on-court violence.
The team's preparations for the Asian Games were put on hold to give players time to reflect on the incident, but training has since resumed.
The games, which start Nov. 12, will attract more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 42 sports.
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