This month, the Chinese Gymnastics Association officially announced that once again, in cooperation with the Fdration Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), the 2007 Gymnastics World Cup competition will be held from July 27th through 29th in Shanghai.

Following the success of the 2006 Gymnastics World Cup, the competition will return to Shanghai's International Gymnastics Center. The event is currently the highest-level gymnastics competition to be held in China.

The FIG 2007 Gymnastics World Cup in Shanghai represents the last A-level World Cup competition before the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Therefore, it is expected that many of the world's premier gymnasts will converge in Shanghai in preparation for the World Championships.

Currently, gymnastics federations from over 22 countries and regions have registered to compete, including traditional gymnastics powerhouses: Japan, Russia, Hungary, Slovenia, and South Korea.

At the same time, the FIG 2007 World Cup also offers elite athletes the chance to chart their progress and size up the competition before the 2008 Olympic Games - an opportunity which is sure to attract top talent from gymnastics disciplines across the world.

This past year has proved to be one of Chinese gymnastics most successful seasons. In October, the Chinese National Gymnastics team won 8 gold medals at the Gymnastics World Championships in Denmark, with the women's team earning the world championship title.

Additionally in November at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, China picked up another pair of matching championships in the gymnastics overall competition.

In December at the Gymnastics World Cup Finals in Brazil, the Chinese team took home 4 golds, bringing the total number of gymnastics gold medals won in 2006 to a record-breaking 75 gold medals. However, the stage is being set for 2008, as the Chinese team looks towards Olympic success - each competition before then acting as a means to prepare and improve before the Games. There are high expectations of the Chinese team heading into next year's Olympic Games, as Chinese gymnasts have won gold medals at each Games appearance since 1984.

"The Chinese National Gymnastics team had a successful 2006 season, however the mission for 2008 is to win even more gold medals, more championships," said Gao Jian , CGA vice-president. "The FIG 2007 Gymnastics World Cup gives competitors a chance to see where they stand internationally as well as work towards improving their routines prior to the Olympic Games. At the same time, it also offers the Chinese gymnastics team an opportunity to select the best athletes to represent China in the 2008 Olympic Games."

(China Daily May 25, 2007)