China tests London Olympic mettle with 11th National Games

JINAN, East China, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese athletes will not only treat the upcoming 11th National Games as a countrywide competition, but also an important test for the 2012 London Olympics.

"Each provincial delegation cannot only concentrate on the Games' result, but also needs to measure that with the world's top level," Liu Peng, director of the State General Administration of Sports, stressed at the organizing committee's session Friday morning.

Liu urged each delegation to take the chance in Jina to prepare for the London Olympics.

"We need to balance the development of our sports, especially improve the team event. At the international arena, our team events' levels are still far behind other nations. Preparing job for the next Olympics is a big challenge for us. We must make full use of this Games to build foundations for London," said Liu.

The quadrennial National Games is the country's top national-level sport gala.

The games, featuring 33 events and 362 disciplines, have attracted 15,133 athletes of 46 delegations. It will officially open in this capital city of East China's Shandong Province on Friday night.