LeBron James does it. The Russians are doing it. Even San Diego Padres' third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff gave it a shot while in Beijing last month.

American and Russian Olympians seem to be taking their Putonghua studies more seriously than their European counterparts ahead of the Beijing Games, as China, the US and Russia vie to top the gold-medal table in four months.

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star James started studying the language as far back as April last year in a bid to boost his iconic status in China, as well as secure his spot on the next "Dream Team".

Kouzmanoff was the most enthusiastic Putonghua learner of the 26 Padres who trekked up the Great Wall last month ahead of MLB's China debut against the LA Dodgers. But, like most MLB stars, he probably will not join the Olympic team before baseball bows out of the Games this summer.

Meanwhile, the Russian Olympic Committee is preparing its athletes for the Games by issuing them with a textbook it created to prep them on daily words and conversation. It has also employed 15 Chinese-Russian translators to assist them during the 17-day Games.

Some 40 million people are believed to be learning Putonghua worldwide. About 100,000 foreigners were studying the language in China in 2006.

Eight-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, Ian Crocker and six-time world champion Katie Hoff feel the same way. Computer-based language program Rosetta Stone signed a promotional agreement with the three American Olympic swimmers on Jan 31.

"It's tough," Phelps told MSNBC last month. "But it's something that's fun and something I'm looking forward to. Hopefully I'll be able to learn it in the next six months to be able to get around in China a little bit."

Hoff said on the corporate website that visiting the Chinese capital was something of a wake-up call.

"I'm eager to get started and extend my very limited Chinese vocabulary beyond ni hao and xie xie."