China has over 3000 years of sports history. Archaeologists have found evidence of an advanced sports culture from the discovery of murals and pottery that show people playing games resembling modern-day archery, acrobatics, martial arts, wrestling and various types of ball games. Most of these games were enjoyed by the well-to-do, who had time to invest in recreational activities.

During the Tang dynasty, equestrian polo was at the height of fashion for aristocrats and officials. There are numerous paintings, ceramics and mirrors from this period that depict men and women engaging in the sport. Board games also became popular around this time and people enjoyed playing a game similar to contemporary mah Jong.

During the Song dynasty, one of the most popular sports was kicking around a leather ball stuffed with hair. This sport, similar to football, was enjoyed by both officials and ordinary people. In 2003, the international football association FIFA officially recognised China as the birthplace of football, which is believed to have originated in present-day Shandong province. Golf is another sport with a long history - as far back as the Yuan dynasty the Chinese were hitting balls into holes in the ground with sticks.

It was during the Qing dynasty that modern sports such as basketball, gymnastics, volleyball and swimming came to China and Chinese athletes began participating in international sports events such as the Olympics and the Asian Games. Some Chinese athletes have achieved worldwide recognition, such as the basketball player Yao Ming, who now plays for the Houston Rockets.

Some sports China excels in today are table tennis, volleyball, gymnastics and women's wrestling, with many athletes bringing home international awards for their efforts. The first Chinese to win an Olympic gold medal was pistol-shooting champion Xu Haifeng at the 1984 Olympic Games. Deng Yaping is China's most celebrated table-tennis player, winning four gold medals in the 1992 and 1994 Olympic Games. With China set to host the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing, Chinese athletes are already being primed for the spotlight.

The government is pouring money into the build- ing of ultramodern sporting facilities in an effort to show off Beijing as a world-class city on par with Olympic host cities of the past.

In the 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece, the Chinese took home 32 gold medals, 17 silver and 14 bronze, ranking second after the USA. Liu Xiang, of Shanghai, became the first Chinese gold medallist in track-and-field, beating his European, African and American rivals in the 110m hurdles.

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