Most athletes of the 263 strong national squad are already in Beijing getting ready for the event which starts on Friday. Hopes are high among sport fans who count on their country's athletes to score more than the 10 medals won during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. What are the chances of Polish athletes in the 29th Olympics?

Danuta Isler reports
 
If the fact that Poland's preparations for the Olympic Games in Beijing has cost the state budget the record breaking 274 million zlotys or 300,00 euros for each athlete is any indication of their potential sports fans in this country can count on more ten medals won by Polish athletes during the previous Games.

According to the head of Poland's Olympic Committee, Piotr Nurowski, swimming, canoeing, yachting and fencing are the strongest assets of the Polish team which is the largest squad Poland has ever taken to the Olympics apart from the games in Moscow and Munich. Nurowski also added that if the medal trophy is more modest this year, he will submit his resignation. 'I keep repeating that we have twenty some chances for Olympic medals in Beijing. A known auditing company has predicted 88 medals for China, 87 for Americans and 14 medals for Poland which would give us 19th place in the overall classification. I can agree with that prediction,' he said.

All in all, Poland will be represented in 24 disciplines in Beijing - which is the biggest number in history while track and field athletes will make up the most numerous group. Irena Szewinska, the winner of seven Olympic medals and  a member of Poland's Olympic Committee has her favorites: 'There are a few favorites like hurdlers Marek Plawgo and Anna Jesien.  We also have three female hammer throwers  with Sydney Olympic gold winner Kamila Skolimowska at the top of the list. Let's not forget our male hammer thrower  Szymon Ziólkowski, an Olympic  gold medal winner in  Sydney. I think we are in for a few surprises as well.'
 
During the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Polish athletes only won medals while only two winners reached the Olympic podium for the first time. Tomasz Włodarczyk of the 'Super Express' sports desk says their performance during the Beijing Games should be better: 'I think we have a big chance to win something with volleyball team, both men and women, handball team. Also Agnieszka Radwanska gives us big hopes in tennis. Besides, we have some excellent swimmers like Otylia Jedrzejczak, Pawel Korzeniowski and (Paweł)Sawrymowicz who can get us a few medals as well. And we cannot forget about, for example, weighlifters such as Szymon Kołecki who is one of the favorites. So I think there is a great chance to get better results than four years ago in Athens and I think we will get more medals than four years ago.'
 
The Summer Olympic Games in Beijing will last from August 8 to 24.