Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

    QINGDAO, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Stephen Park, Britain's sailing team manager, said here Monday his team was trying to be as competitive as they could in all the classes when the Olympic sailing events were to be held here in the coming August.

    Park made this remark during the ongoing 2008 IFDS (International Association for Disabled Sailing) Qingdao International Regatta here, the only test event for Paralympic sailing events.

    "We are looking forward to the starting of the Olympics and it is nice to come back to visit all of friends," said Park, adding that his team had fantastic Olympic test events here last year when they won five gold medals.

    According to Qingdao Olympic Committee, Britain, with China and a few other countries, has been qualified for all 11 events in nine classes of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games sailing competition.

    "We are expecting an exciting summer here in Qingdao and try as competitive as we can in every class. We have been training very hard and think we have a good chance to finish among the top six every time," he said.

    Though Park had been to Olympic sailing venue since the opening of the Olympic sailing center, this was his first time to visit the Qingdao Olympic sub-village here.

    "During the test event last year, things are still in the building stages, so Qingdao has been making a lot of progress. It has fantastic facilities and all the athletes will be very well looked after. I think the athletes in Beijing would want to live here."

    Park came to Qingdao a couple of days before the commencement of 2008 IFDS Qingdao International Regatta. During his stay in Qingdao, he met the sailing competition manager and took the responsibility to look after the Britain paralympic team as well.

    The ongoing 2008 IFDS Qingdao International Regatta, the only test event for the 2008 Paralympic sailing competition involved teams from sixteen countries and regions, would run from May 8 to 16.

    Qingdao, a port city in east China's Shandong province, will be the city for the sailing competition of the 2008 Olympic Games from August 8 to 24.