(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-12 10:53

China surprised the world in two of the "Good Luck Beijing" test events for next year's Olympic Games as they won six gold medals in the world rowing junior championships and their men and women teams both went through to the international hockey tournament finals.

China, who has never won a rowing gold in the Olympic Games, dominated the final races of the rowing event by winning six gold, one silver and one bronze in the total of 13 competing disciplines.

Forty-five Chinese young athletes participated the racing of 12 disciplines except for the men's coxed four.

China won in women's double sculls, men's pair, women's pair, women's single sculls, women's four and men's quad sculls.

The traditional rowing strong nation, Germany, got only three gold in men's double sculls, women's quad sculls and men's eight. The team also won six silver medals and one bronze.

Romania, Italy, Bulgaria and Britain each got 1 gold.

Over 600 under-18-year-old rowers from 50 countries and regions participated the 4-day regatta held in Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, northeast Beijing.

The world rowing junior championships, held in next year's Olympic venue, started exactly one year to the day of ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Matt Smith, FISA Executive Director, said, "I am really surprised with the excellent improvement of Chinese young rowers and impressed with their good techniques, fitness and excellent bodies."

Chinese coach Gao Jingping said that the good result in the junior championships made Chinese rowers more confident in world-class event. They hope they can win a gold in next year's Olympics.

Despite losing to Australian 6-1 and 3-0 in men's and women's events respectively in the last round of the hockey tournament, China reaped tickets to the finals, where they will meet Australia again.

The Australian men's team, the world's best, proved their superiority in the morning event yet coach Barry Dancer said the final with China would be "a tougher game and the result will be more even."

In two other matches played in the day, Argentine women's team overpowered South Africa 6-0.

Argentina's Rebecchi Carla opened their scoring at the 21st minute and it was also their first goal in the preliminaries. They had previously lost to China and Australia, scoring no goals.

In men's group, Malaysia tied with Pakistan 1-1 and the two will compete for bronze on Monday.

Eight teams from six countries, four each in the men's and women's events, compete in the tournament held on the hockey field from August 8-13 in Beijing's Olympic Park.