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Intimidate, subdue your rivals, sports chief tells paddlers(Xinhua)Updated: 2007-05-21 08:23 Cai Zhenhua, one of China's top sports administrators, on Sunday told Chinese players to show their killing instinct and fearsome strength in the world table tennis championships that starts on Monday.
"Show the world that you are the best! Intimidate your rivals and make them scared of you!" Cai shouted in a pep talk to the 24 Chinese players who aim to sweep all the five titles, just as they did two years ago in Shanghai.
Cai, newly promoted to deputy director of State General Administration of Sport, a position equivalent to vice minister, said Chinese players would meet various challenges in the world championships and should keep confident to emerge as winners.
China sent a 68-strong team to the biennial event, including 12 men's players and as many women's.
Chinese top the seed lists in the five events. Ma Lin and defending champion Wang Liqin are seeded 1-2 in the men's singles, just as Zhang Yining and Wang Nan do in the women's singles.
Wang Liqin, singles winner in 2001 and 2005, pairs up with Guo Yue as the top seeds in the mixed doubles. Ma Lin and Wang Nan are the second seeds.
Liqin, the most techinically solid player in the world, will also combine with Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao for a shot at the men's doubles. The first seeds are Olympic champin Ma Lin and Chen Qi.
Olympic gold medalists Wang Nan and Zhang Yining top the women's doubles draw. Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia are second.
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