China released the squad for the eighth short course swimming world championships in Beijing on Friday, which is to kick off in Shanghai of east China on April 5.

 

Zhang Yadong, chief coach of China's national swimming team, announced an 82-member delegation consisting of swimmers, coaches, officials and team doctors for the events.

 

China is to send its strongest contingent for the short course swimming world championships, to be held for the first time in mainland China.

 

The swimmers are composed of not only China's renowned ones but some promising rookies aiming to build up the ladder for sustainable competitiveness.

 

China's ace Luo Xuejuan, the Athens Olympic champion, is among the squad, but her specific events have yet to be decided as she is now adjusting and recovering from unfitness.

 

Luo's uncertainty makes the women's medley relay lineup still unavailable.

 

Qu Jingyu, the 200-meter medley champion in China's national games, is surely to miss the championships after suffering an elbow injury recently from a tumble in dressing room.

 

The short course event attracts 30 swimmers from the Montreal swimming world championships, 16 medallists from the Athens Olympic Games and 12 world record holders worldwide.

 

Following are the Chinese squad:

 

Women (20): Zhu Yingwen, Xu Yanwei, Yang Yu and Pang Jiaying for women 4x100m free style relay; Xu Yanwei, Yang Yu, Pang Jiaying and Tang Jingzhi for women's 4x200m free style relay;

 

Other women swimmers include: Yang Jieqiao, Tan Miao, Luo Xuejuan, Gao Chang, Liao Yanan, Zhao Jing, Wang Qun, Ji Liping, Luo Nan, Qi Hui, Jiao Liuyang, Zhou Yafei, Li Xinhua, Yu Yao and Zhang Xin.

 

Men (23): Cai Li, Han Tianji, Huang Shaohua, Zhang Lin, Wang Pengyuan, Chen Zuo, Yu Chenglong, Ren Chen, Shi Runqiang, Ouyang Kunpeng, Sun Xiaolei, Zhang Bodong, Wang Haibo, Xie Zhi, Cheng Peng, Lai Zhongjian, Wang Dong, Huang Changduan, Wu Peng, Chen Yin, Zhao Tao and Zhang Zishan.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2006)