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The Chinese Athletics Administrative Center announced that the country is planning to commission 11 foreign athletic coaches to train athletes competing in the Rio Olympics.
The foreign coaches will train the Chinese athletic team in the fields of discus throw, walk, and marathon, as what other foreign coaches did before the London Olympics, sources said.
Deputy Director Feng Shuyong said China's plan to hire foreign athletic coaches is part of the country’s desire to get advanced training ideas in order to catch up with other countries in the field of athletics, where China has been lagging behind.
The names of the possible foreign athletes that China will hire for its athletic team have not been disclosed. The 11 athletes will augment the existing foreign coaches that are now training the Chinese Olympians, Feng said.
Foreign coaches have been considered as a major factor in the Olympic successes of Chinese athletes. Through the help of foreign coaches, Chen Ding won the men’s 20km walk gold and established a new Olympic record.
Chen became the first Chinese male walker to go home with the Olympic gold, the Chinese Athletics Administrative Center said.
Feng, however, emphasized that while foreign coaches will be able to help the Chinese athletic team, the athletes themselves need to attend more high-level international games to prepare them for the Rio Olympics.
China is gearing up for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics that will be held in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro from August 5 to 21 in the year 2016.
China hosted the Olympics on one occasion, the 2008 Summer O
lympics Beijing, which was participated in by 10,942 athletes from 204 nations.
The country currently holds a summer and winter Olympic record of 210 gold medals, 163 silver medals, and 144 bronze medals for the nine occasions that it joined in the completion.
