China to send 431 athletes to Tokyo Olympics

China will send 431 athletes to the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The delegation, including 298 female athletes and 133 male athletes, will compete in 225 events at the Games, which is scheduled to open on July 23 in Tokyo.

Among the 24 Olympic champions in the delegation, 19 claimed golds at the 2016 Rio Olympics while 293 athletes will make their Olympic debut.

“This is the largest ever Olympic delegation China has sent overseas,” said Gao Zhidan, deputy director of China’s State General Administration of Sport, adding that the delegation has a total of 777 members, including 30 foreign coaches.

Quan Hongchan, 14, who will compete in the women’s diving event, is the youngest of the delegation.

Meanwhile the 52-year-old Li Zhenqiang from the Chinese equestrian team will be the oldest Chinese athlete to be featured at the Games.

China expects to win medals from traditionally strong sports such as table tennis, badminton, gymnastics, weightlifting, shooting and diving.

The Tokyo Olympics, delayed by one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will begin in on July 23 and will be held without spectators.

(With inputs from agencies and media reports)