Winter Olympics series: Team China

The opening ceremony for Vancouver 2010 falls on the eve of China's traditional Spring Festival, the most important festival of the year for the Chinese people and Chinese athletes will try to provide more reasons for their compatriots to celebrate. We take a closer look now at Team China in the first of a nine-part series.

China is sending the country's largest delegation ever to compete in the Winter Olympics.

China delegation will consist of 182 members, of which 91 are athletes. The average age for the athletes is 24.4-years.

They will compete in 10 of 15 sports, which is also the most for China.

Wang Meng, Olympic Gold Medalist, said, "I am pretty confident unless I have a error. No one can beat me."

China has never been a leading force at the Winter Olympics. But, when talking about Wang Meng, "Dominance" is perhaps, the perfect word.

The 24-year-old speed skater won the 500m race at the 2006 Games. Wang and her teammates aim to sweep all four gold medals in the women's short track races.

In figure skating, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo look to claim their golden dream at the Winter Olympics for the fourth time.

Shen Xue, Zhao Hongbo, Olympic Bronze Medalists, said, "All I want it the Olympic gold."

"The Champion, nothing else."

Three-time World Champions, three-time Four Continents Champions and six-time Grand Prix final champions the skaters only lack a gold at the Olympics to cap their glorious career.