The Chinese Olympic delegation returned to a heroes' welcome.

With a record 32 gold medals, 17 silvers and 14 bronzes won in Athens, the Chinese athletes landed at Capital International Airport yesterday morning. Scores of spectators hailed their great triumph with applause and cheers.

Families and friends of the athletes were also at hand.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, offered the athletes his congratulations.

"You are the pride of the motherland! The motherland welcomes you back!" Li said.

China ranked a record second place behind the United States in the final gold medal table of the Athens Olympics, achieving its best ever result in Olympic history.

"Motherland, I love you!" exclaimed Liu Xiang, China's new hero who won China's first gold medal in men's track and field when he matched the world record of 12.91 seconds in the men's 110m hurdles.

"We were so encouraged when we learned in Athens the hope and support from the nation for our team," said Chen Zhonghe, coach of the gold-winning women's volleyball team.

For China, Athens was an ideal training ground for young athletes, on whom the country's hopes will rest during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"We saw our weaknesses," international basketball superstar Yao Ming said of the Chinese team's seventh-place.

"In preparing for 2008, our 24 teammates need to learn from our valuable experiences in this Olympic Games," Yao said.

Zhang Yining, who took China's 100th gold in summer Olympics after winning the women's table tennis singles final, talked about her future plans.

"Our team will focus on the preparations for the 2008 Olympics.

"I did well in Athens, but we have found our rivals stronger, thus our future tasks will be quite tough," Zhang said.

The Chinese athletes will try to do better in Beijing 2008, Yuan Weiming, head of the Chinese delegation, said to the media on Sunday.

Together with the Chinese delegation, Wang Qishan, mayor of Beijing, also returned home after taking over the Olympic flag from his Greek counterpart during the closing ceremony on August 29.

A welcome ceremony for the Olympic flag, which goes to the next Olympic host Beijing, was held yesterday night in front of the National Museum on Tiananmen Square.

A count-down clock was also set up to signal the coming of the Beijing Olympics in the square.

Chinese gymnasts pose for a photo upon arriving in Beijing after the Olympic Games August 31, 2004. China's Olympic athletes, who won a record 32 gold medals in Athens, arrived on Tuesday to a hero's welcome from dozens of dancers, drummers, a brass band and throngs of wellwishers. More than 200 members of the 407-strong Chinese Olympic team were met at Beijing Capital International Airport by families and friends and spectators waving flags, flowers and banners.

Chinese Olympic athletes display the flag for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in front of government officials during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing after the Olympic Games August 31, 2004.

Liu Xiang, gold medal winner of men's 110m hurdles, arrives in Beijing after the Athens Olympic Games, August 31, 2004.

Liu Xiang waves to wellwishers after arriving at the Beijing Capital International Airport, August 31, 2004.

International basketball superstar Yao Ming arrives in Beijing after the Olympic Games August 31, 2004.

Guo Jingjing, Chinese champion diver and Olympic gold medalist, answers questions from reporters after arriving at the Beijing Capital International Airport.

Wu Minxia is surrounded by reporters.

Wellwishers give the home-coming athletes a hero's welcome.