Deputy Chef-de-Mission of the Chinese delegation, Xiao Tian, said?in Beijing?on Thursday that he expects the figure skating pairs to make sound performance and win the gold medal in the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The Chinese Olympic Committee announced on Thursday to send a 182-member delegation, including 91 athletes, the largest ever in the nation's history, for the Vancouver Games slated for February 12 to 28.

"China became more competitive in the Winter Games compared with four years ago in Turin. I hope we will make a strong hit in Vancouver," Xiao Tian told Xinhua after the ceremony held for the founding of the delegation.

Xiao refused to make prediction on the medals, while he expected the Chinese athletes to achieve breakthrough in figure skating and curling events.

"Pairs skaters Shen Xuan/Zhao Hongbo came back to the stage for their last Winter Games. I really appreciate their passion and perseverance to the sport."

"I hope they can win a gold medal in Vancouver, which would be a perfect ending for their career," he added.

Besides bronze medalists Shen/Zhao in the Turin Games, other Chinese pairs Pang Qing/Tong Jian and Olympic silver medalists Zhang Dan/Zhang Hao were also regarded as medal hopefuls in Vancouver.

After announcing retirement in 2006, Shen/Zhao got married and were the only couple in the Chinese delegation.

China was still a winter sports fledgling though it went atop of the medals table at the Beijing Games in 2008.

China did not end its winter Olympic gold drought until the Salt Lake City Games in 2002 when Yang Yang (A) took two short track speed skating titles.

In the Turin Games in 2006, China also bagged two golds, one from the women's short track, and the other from the men's freestyle aerials.

"Apart from our strong sports like short track and the figure skating pairs, women's curling team is also promising," said Xiao.

The Chinese women curling players won their first gold medal in the world championships in 2009 but Xiao thought they were not strong enough to win a gold in the Vancouver Games.

"The national team was founded just seven years ago and they are still young. They need more experience and should learn more from the Winter Games. I won't give them too much pressure," Xiao said.

Xiao hailed the short track skating team which grew maturer in the last four years and showed confidence, but he noted that the men's skaters should try their best to win at least a medal in Vancouver.

"We can't count on Wang Meng alone in the women's 500m. The women's 1,000m and the relay are also our gold medal chances."

"The men's team should give all out to win at least a medal in the relay," he said.

Wang is hotly tipped to wipe out the field in the women's events after sweeping gold medals in the 500m and 1,000m and leading China to victory in the realy at the World Championships in Vienna in 2009.