Guangzhou has begun their countdown to the 2010 Asian Games and hope the event will be the largest and most successful Asiad. The Chinese city will be transformed into one of the leading sporting cities in the world with improved stadiums and projects, said the Guangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (Gacoc) who were recently in Bangkok as part of a promotional tour across the continent.

It is expected that more than 14,000 athletes and officials from 45 member countries and territories will take part in the 2010 Games.

The athletes will compete in a record 42 sports including five new disciplines _ cricket, dance sport, dragon boat, roller sport and Chinese board game of weiqi.

The organising committee will renovate 78 existing sports venues and will build 12 new ones.

Further progress will see Guangzhou start its development of rail transport and ''intelligent'' transport to bring the Asian Games Village to a 30-minute of distance of all competition venues.

''Guangzhou is a city that is accelerating its preparations in readiness for the 2010 Asian Games,'' said Gacoc deputy secretary-general Liu Jiangnan.

''The Guangzhou Asian Games will leave a positive and lasting legacy for the citizens and visitors to benefit from for years to come.''