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WASHINGTON: Americans will attempt to lead the overall medal table
for the fourth Summer Olympics in a row next month in Beijing, but
hosts China and Russia will challenge for supremacy in golds and
total medals.
US teams had the greatest medal haul for a
record fourth Games in a row at Los Angeles in 1932. While Soviet
Union talent topped the table eight times from 1956 to 1992, it
never equaled that mark.
US squads have led the medal charts at Atlanta
in 1996, Sydney in 2000 and Athens four years ago. But this time,
the Chinese are going for the medal crown as hosts and with a
formidable squad backed by throngs of cheering supporters.
“Russia, China and the US are vying with the
most legitimate shot at the top medal count at the Olympics,” said
Steve Roush, chief of sport performance for the US Olympic Committee
(USOC).
“This is going to be a highly competitive
field. It has created an excitement around these Olympics that has
been missing for a while.”
In 2004, Americans claimed 102 medals, 36 of
them gold. Russians took 92 overall, 27 gold, while China had 63
overall but most, 32, were gold.
China’s challenge figures to be formidable.
Could the US team hit the wall?
“China has an incredibly strong team. Host
nations generally have home field advantage. There’s a job to be
done,” Roush said.
“They’ve infused large numbers of people
behind their sports program. We probably pale in comparison in terms
of the level we’re able to give support to our athletes.
“They’ve hired the world’s best coaches to
come in and not only coach their athletes but coach their coaches so
they can improve for future generations.”
But don’t count on the Americans handing over
the crown without a fight.
“We have a strong team. We’re making no
allusions about thinking the Chinese have the strongest team,”
USOC chief executive Jim Scherr said.
The 2004 US team won 28 medals in swimming and
25 in athletics, more than half the total American medal haul from
Athens. But no one wants to toss out a medal goal for Beijing.
“We hope to do much better than the team in
Athens,” US swim coach Mark Schubert said.
-- AFP
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