China's taekwondo rising star Wu Jingyu will vie for her first Olympic title on Wednesday, but she will face tough challenge from her long-time rival Yang Shu-chun of Chinese Taipei.
World champion Wu, 21, will come across Yang, who is also eying a gold medal, in the semifinals. Wu was beat by Yang in their latest clash this year at the Asian Championships.
Peng Tai-lin, deputy chef de mission of the Chinese Taipei delegation, told Xinhua that each of them has a 50 percent chance to win this time, despite the fact that Wu had defeated Yang more than Yang did.
"Yang has improved a lot recently and our goal is the gold," Peng added.
Another Chinese Taipei medal hopeful, Yang's boyfriend Chu Mu-yen will try to retain his title in the men's 58kg division on the same day.
Chu, 26, first ever Olympic gold medalist of the Chinese Taipei delegation, will face the challenge from Spanish world champion Juan Antonio Ramos in the semifinals.
The taekwondo events have been scheduled for four days with four men's and four women's divisions. Each delegation can send four athletes at maximum, two men and two women.
China won two taekwondo golds at Athens and its goal in Beijing is at least one gold.
(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2008)