The shooting team is under pressure but there is no need to worry about their performance at the coming Beijing Olympics, said Wang Yifu, head coach of Chinese national shooting team, on Friday.
Wang, one of the most experienced Olympian from China, has just finished the torch relay as the first torchbearer in the Olympic torch relay Anshan leg, northeast China's Liaoning province.
The legend shooter had six successive appearances at the Olympics from 1984 to 2004.
"I feel so honored to be a torchbearer of Beijing Olympics," said Wang. "The torch relay passes not only the Olympic sacred flame but also the Olympic spirits," he added.
Wang won two Olympic gold, three silver and one bronze medals over the years, but the most impressive one is his second place finish in the 10m air pistol final at Atlanta 1996.
Preparing for his last shot, Wang suddenly felt dizzy and his legs began to wobble, but he still managed to pull the trigger before collapsing to the floor unconscious. His deed was then widely hailed as the best illustration of the Olympic spirit.
Wang and his shooters are now going all out for the approaching Olympic Games. According to the game schedule, shooting is usually the event producing the first gold medal at the Olympics. Thus the national shooting team always draws public attention.
"As head coach of the national shooting team, I do have pressure and can feel people's anticipation. But our shooters are all strong and in good shape now, so I have no fear of losing," said Wang.
"In fact, I don't care about whether the gold medal is the first or the last at the Olympics, what we will do is to go all out to get as many medals as we can," he added.
(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2008)