Qualification position for Beijing Games

LONDON (Reuters) - Following is a resume of the qualification position in the 28 sports at the Beijing Olympic Games, taking place from August 8 to 24:

A total of 10,500 athletes are expected at the Games compared with 10,625 from 201 nations in Athens in 2004.

As host country, China is guaranteed entry in all sports. Some sports issue places to specific athletes, others to countries' National Olympic Committees for them to allocate.

Sports also have 'invitation places', decided by an IOC commission.

(Note: the figures given for some sports may not add because of uncertainty over the qualifying position of Chinese athletes and how some non-qualifying places will be allocated)

AQUATICS (swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo)

Qualification position - ">here

Swimming

There will be 17 events for both men and women and an expected total of 800 athletes. Countries may enter up to 2 athletes in most events if they have met the A qualifying standard, and 1 athlete if he or she has met the B qualifying standard. Each country is limited to 92 swimmers.

Qualifying standards must be achieved between March 15, 2007, and July 15, 2008.

In the relay events, the top 12 teams in each event at the 2007 world championships qualify.

In the open water events (10 km for men and women), qualification depended largely on the world championships in Seville, Spain, from April 29-May 4. here

Diving - qualification complete

There are 4 events (two individual and two synchronized) for both men and women, and a total of 136 athletes will take part.

The individual events (springboard and platform) will have up to 34 divers each and 12 places were allocated at the 2007 world championships.

Each synchronized event will have 8 teams and 3 qualified from the 2007 worlds.