Xinhua

A group of 267 Chinese athletes, coaches and officials arrived in Athens yesterday to join other team members already there.

Leading the group is Yuan Weimin, minister of the State General Administration of Sport.

China''s Olympic team is made up of 637 athletes, coaches and officials.

Among the athletes are 33 shooters, eight archers, 20 table tennis players, 20 divers, 52 swimmers, 13 weightlifters, 27 fencers, 20 women''s softball players, 20 women''s handball players as well as athletes involved in field hockey, boxing, judo, wrestling, cycling, tennis and beach volleyball.

Other Chinese Olympic athletes are to depart later, according to their competition schedules.

Teams involved in women''s soccer, gymnastics, rowing and women''s field hockey had earlier arrived in Athens, ahead of the main batch of the delegates.

At a ceremony in Beijing yesterday to see the delegation off, Li Zhijian, a ranking official with the State General Administration of Sport, asked the athletes to unite as one and give their best to achieve good results in Athens. He also urged them to respect referees and opponents and demonstrate fair-play.

China hopes to be among the leaders in the final medal standings at the games, although officials expect the United States and Russia to lead the pack. China finished third in the standings at the last summer games in Sydney, which was the country''s best-ever Olympic performance.

China has announced cash awards for Olympic medal winners in Athens. Gold medalists will earn 200,000 yuan (US$24,000), silver medalists will bag 120,000 yuan and 80,000 yuan will go to those bringing home the bronze medals. Coaches for the Olympic medal winners will also be awarded.

The Chinese squad has 407 athletes for 26 out of the 28 sports in the games. Among them, 84 have competed in three previous Games and 323 are to make their Olympic debut.