China badminton team arrives in Paris with confidence for Olympics

PARIS, July 20 (Xinhua) -- After arriving in Paris on Saturday, Zhang Jun, president of the Chinese Badminton Association, expressed confidence in his team's readiness for the upcoming Olympics.

"We are very familiar with the city, having participated in the Olympic test event in March this year and the French Open annually," Zhang said.

"The players are well-prepared. We'll follow our plan to attend our training camp and then move into the Olympic Village," he added.

Before arriving in Paris, the team underwent three months of intensive training, which Zhang praised highly.

"We had a long training period, during which we played the Thomas and Uber Cup and several tournaments in Southeast Asia. Currently, the players are in good form and have met the expected training outcomes," he said.

The badminton competition will take place from July 27 to August 5, giving China a week to prepare, and Zhang revealed the team's plans to Xinhua.

"Our main goals this week are to adjust to the jet lag and climate, and to practice at the venues to regain the feeling we had during the test event. Additionally, we will conduct thorough analyses of our main opponents."

Women's singles player Chen Yufei said the most important thing she will do this week is to maintain her physical condition well and pay more attention to the details of her diet.

"This is my second Olympics, and although I have more experience, my excitement level is the same as last time," the defending champion said. "I saw a beautiful sunrise when I got off the plane, which could bode well for us."