Chinese cheerleaders join in the fun

By Jane Barrett

BEIJING (Reuters) - The beach volleyballers are sweating it out during a training session when suddenly the speakers start blaring out "Mambo No. 5" and 12 dancers saunter on to the sand, smiles fixed, shoulders shaking to the beat.

"Come on. Keep concentrating," shouts Vanessa Diaz, their trainer, as photographers spin around to point their lenses at the girls clad in the tiniest of string bikinis.

Cheerleading has become an integral part of several sports across the world, and came to the Olympic beach volleyball court in Athens in 2004.

The Spanish troupe that performed in Athens got the job to entertain the crowds in Beijing as well but with the proviso the cheerleading team should be half Chinese and that their routines include traditional dances from the host nation.

"It was a big challenge to integrate two groups but the level I found here was really quite good. They had already watched our videos, they knew our style," Diaz said as the dancers took a break, cooling off under the shower and snacking on apples.

Diaz, whose team is based in Spain's Canary Islands, takes members of the joint troupe through their paces for a good eight hours a day, about half of it barefoot on the hot sand.

"We're training more than most of these guys. It's exhausting, particularly in this heat and humidity," she said as the Russian men's team loped by, waving.

Asked if the dancers were nervous about performing in the 12,200-seat Chaoyang stadium, the biggest built for beach volleyball, she smiled and shook her head.

"The more, the merrier. More noise, more fun!"

(Editing by Ralph Gowling)