Athletes to learn from top cross country runners

Chinese athletes will try to learn from world top-class runners in the upcoming the 35th World Cross Country Championship, Chinese team leader Wang Xiaoying told Xinhua on Thursday.

Wang said that three of the four athletes sent by China were still "newcomers" in international sports events. "They are rather much weaker, compared with the runners from Kenya and Ethiopia," said Wang.

She added that China sent the young people for the sake that the athletes at the average age of 21 will have an opportunity to gain the experience of competing with top rivals, give full play to their potential and learn pragmatic running tactics and preparation skills from the world-class runners.

The Chinese delegation arrived in Mombasa on Wednesday. The two men and two women athletes will take part in the competitions of senior men and women categories on Saturday