BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- France set a target of capturing two medals at the Beijing World Taekwondo Championships, its team leader announced here on Saturday.

    "Two medals is the limit of our mission here. I think that's the bottom line for us," said Aloisio Michael, team leader of France.

    "Our chance lies in the heavyweight. For the Beijing Olympic Games next, I think we will try to win a gold medal."

    Pascal Gentil is France's medal hope at the championships and even at the Beijing Olympic Games. Gentil is the bronze winner in over 84-kilo division (heavyweight) at the Athens Olympics, but he was considered as good as the gold medallist.

    As the captain of French team, Gentil expects to win his first world title here.

    "I am a two-time Olympic medallist and also a World Cup holder. I am looking forward to wrest my first world title here on Monday. The tournament is a good step for me to train for a gold at Beijing Olympics," Gentil said.

    France has not decided who and what division to play at the Manchester Olympic qualification on September, so the world championship serves as a test for their athletes.

    "We'll choose our best players from the tournament and then decide which category to pick in the Olympic qualifiers," explained Michael.

    "There is no professional taekwondo athlete in France. We can only train in spare time and take up intensive practice before major events.

    "We select our best players from French championship and then send them to play in German Open and Spain Open. The taekwondo association also sets up training camp before international tourney."

    Gentil told he is not a professional either. He works in advertising for TV and sponsors like Nike and Toyota. He also played a role in a movie in promoting the sport.

    In the 2005 Madrid taekwondo worlds, France grabbed a silver in women's welterweight (under-67 kilo) and a bronze in men's middleweight (under-84 kilo).