Chinese athletes to watch

China hopes to surpass the US in medals this Olympics. From a hot-headed badminton star to a pair of 16-year-old diving dynamos, here are some of the athletes who may help lead the way

The challenger: Wu Peng, Men’s 200m butterfly

Wu Peng, 21, has taken silver at the last two World Championships and is bidding to become the first Chinese male swimmer ever to win an Olympic medal, which is reason enough to watch him. Factor in that he will be up against American Michael Phelps, who’s gunning for eight golds, and this is a don’t-miss China-US battle.

Men’s 200m butterfly final, The Water Cube, Wednesday 13, Event 3, morning session 10am-11.50am.

 

The maestro: Lin Dan, Men’s badminton singles

Lin Dan has been the world’s number one for most of the last three years, taking two World Championship golds along the way – but the missing medal is Olympic gold (he was surprisingly dumped out during the first round at Athens in 2004). If ‘Super Dan’ has a weakness, it’s his temper – he’s been involved in two controversies this year, first trying to beat Korean coach Li Mao with his racquet during a match, and more recently trying to punch his own coach during training. Let’s hope he knows how to keep his cool around his girlfriend – a racquet-wielder herself – Xie Xingfang, the Chinese female number one.

Men’s singles final, Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, Sunday 17, Event 4 of 5, evening session 6.30pm-10pm.

 

The million dollar baby: Zou Shiming, Men’s 48kg boxing

Zou Shiming could be about to make history by winning a first Chinese gold medal in the sport that Mao banned for being too violent. Zou was world amateur champion in 2005 and 2007, and is just about the favourite to achieve what Chinese officials have dubbed a ‘zero-gold-medal breakthrough.’ That’s good, as boxing was only made legal in 1986 because it could offer plentiful opportunities for Olympic medals.

Men’s 48kg final, Workers’ Gymnasium, Sunday 24, starts 1.30pm.

 

The teen queens: Chen Ruolin and Wang Xin, Women’s 10m platform (individual and synchronized)

China’s hopes in the women’s 10m platform diving events will rest on two girls who will have just turned 16 when they compete this month (Wang’s birthday is the day before the synchronised event). Chen and Wang are ranked one and two in the world, respectively, with Chen winning the recent World Cup and Wang taking last year’s World Championship (both, when they were 15).

They’re minis – Wang is 1.37m and 28kg and Chen is 1.36m and 30kg – with cropped hair. Both have even been banned from eating dinner for the past year to prevent weight gain. It’s little wonder their coaches want to keep them as they are – the pair have been at the top of women’s diving for years, and Chen took three golds at the national championships when she was 11.

The Water Cube: Women’s 10m platform synchronised final, Tuesday 12, 2.30pm; women’s 10m platform individual final, Thursday 21, 8pm.

 

The innovator: Cheng Fei, Women’s vault and floor

Not many gymnasts have had moves named after them, so look out for "The Cheng," probably the most difficult move ever completed on the vault, a mind-bending flip with a 540-degree spin. Cheng, 20, was the first to land the move, and is one of the top medal hopes in a Chinese gymnastics team desperate to atone for a poor showing at Athens four years ago. She is favourite on the vault, after taking gold at the last three World Championships, and could medal as part of a very strong Chinese team.

National Indoor Stadium: Women’s team final, Wednesday 13, 10.15am; Women’s vault final, Sunday 17, 8.15pm approx.

 

The tough girl: Wu Jingyu, Women’s 47kg taekwondo

Wu Jingyu was discovered by a taekwondo coach after repeatedly getting in trouble at school for beating up boys. "I just can’t stop kicking and fighting," she told the Beijing Daily. "The most important thing about taekwondo is that it keeps me out of trouble." However, the 21-year-old is definitely trouble for her opponents, and thrashed Thailand’s Yaowapa Boorapolchai in the final of last year’s World Championships.

Women’s 48kg final, Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium, Wednesday 20, Event 11 of 14, session 3pm-9.35pm.