Ones to watch in Rio

Sun Yang

Event: Swimming

Age: 24

Height: 1.98m

Weight: 89kg

As the undeniable leader of China's national swimming team, Sun is on a mission to defend his gold medals in the 400m and 1,500m freestyles at the Rio Olympics. However, having been sidelined for three months this year with a foot injury, a question mark hangs over the champion swimmer's quest for continuing dominance in freestyle events.

Ye Shiwen

Event: Swimming

Age: 20

Height: 1.72m

Weight: 64kg

A prodigy who shocked the world by winning the women's 200m and 400m individual medley in London at age 16, Ye has struggled to regain her confidence and best shape in recent years after an ankle injury and a series of defeats at big events. With her second Olympics approaching, she is hoping to revive her career by delivering her best performance since London 2012.

Lin Dan

Event: Badminton

Age: 32

Height: 1.78m

Weight: 70kg

Arguably the greatest male badminton player of all time, Lin proved his supremacy in the Asian-dominated sport by winning the Olympic men's singles in 2008 and 2012, in addition to claiming five world championship titles. Still, the veteran remains hungry for more success and has never hidden his ambition to claim a third consecutive men's singles Olympic gold in Rio.

Zhang Jike

Event: Table Tennis

Age: 28

Height: 1.78m

Weight: 70kg

Although he is the defending Olympic men's singles champion, Zhang will enter the Rio Games as an underdog after being plagued by inconsistent form since claiming his last title at the 2013 World Championships in Paris. As one of only four players in the sport's history to achieve a career grand slam - the World Championships, the World Cup and Olympic gold - Zhang looks set to bounce back in Brazil.

Su Bingtian

Event: Track and Field

Age: 26

Height: 1.72m

Weight: 65kg

The only Asian-born athlete to run the 100m in less than 10 seconds (9.99 sec), Su became a household name after qualifying for the men's 100m final at the Beijing World Championships last year, becoming the first Asian to do so. His success demonstrated the competence of Asian athletes in the Western-dominated event and prompted heavy expectations for him and China's men's 4X100m relay team. Supporters will be hoping for breakthrough performances in Rio.

Wu Jingyu

Event: Taekwondo

Age: 29

Height: 1.68m

Weight: 49kg

A two-time Olympic champion and someone who enjoys family life and postgraduate studies, Wu decided to return to competition in 2014 with her eyes set on Rio, despite the challenge of getting back to competition level. Since regaining the world No 1 spot late last year, she has been preparing for an attempt to become the first woman to win three successive Olympic gold medals in the 49 kg weight category.

Feng Shanshan

Event: Golf

Age: 26

Height: 1.70m

Weight: 68kg

Concerns about the Zika virus have led many of the world's leading golfers to miss the Rio Games, so Feng, China's only female major winner, is embracing the tournament as the biggest campaign of her career. It's an opportunity to win a medal as the sport returns the Olympic menu after an absence of 112 years. Feng, who won the 2012 LPGA Championship, one of the five golfing majors for women, has said that if she were asked to choose between an Olympic medal and a major title, she would definitely go with the medal.

Lang Ping

Event: Volleyball

Age: 55

Height: 1.84m

Weight: 71kg

Lang's central role as a striker in the success in China's all-conquering women's national team in the 1980s resulted in her becoming a cultural icon and one of the most respected figures in Chinese sports. Now the coach of the women's national team, she guided a young Chinese team to the FIVB World Cup in September - the country's first world title since a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics Games in Athens - and is committed to a podium finish at least in Rio.

SUN XIAOCHEN

(China Daily 07/19/2016 page6)