Aussie chief tips China to top gold medal tally

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SYDNEY, Aug 2 (AFP): Australia's Olympics chief John Coates has predicted that China will top the United States in the gold medal tally at the Beijing Games, a report said today.

The Americans have dominated the last three Olympics since finishing second to the former Soviet Union in Barcelona in 1992.

But the Australian Olympic Committee president believes China will emerge with the biggest number of golds at the 2008 Summer Games.

"I expect China to win the gold medal tally," Coates told The Australian newspaper Saturday.

"What we are seeing now leads me to think they can do it. I was at a rowing event where they won eight out of 14 medals-that is unheard-of."

The United States has topped the medal count in 16 of the 26 Summer Olympics held.

Four years ago in Athens the US topped the gold medal tally with 36, China was second with 32, followed by Russia, on 27.

But Coates does not expect China will beat the US and win the overall medal count, as he believes the US is too strong in swimming and track and field.

Steve Roush, the US Olympic Committee chief of sport performance, is anticipating a highly-competitive battle in Beijing with China and Russia.