Six Tanzanian runners who have qualified for the Beijing Olympic Games will travel to China midway this month to acclimatize though the games scheduled to start on Aug. 8.

A China-based company will sponsor the earlier acclimatization for Samson Ramadhani, Samson Nkway, Getuli Bayo, Msenduki Mohamed, Dickson Marwa and Samwei Mwera.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Ramadhani shoulders the country's hope of finishing close to the podium as he is a fast-improving marathoner who finished 40th in the Athens Olympics in 2004 and was fifth in Helsinki for the 2005 World Championships.

Tanzania has also qualified a boxer for the Beijing Games.

Two of Tanzania's swimmers are planning a trip to neighboring Kenya for a final tune-up as they won invitation from the Beijing Games organizers.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2008)