DALIAN, Northeast China, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- About 60 American track and field athletes are now practising in Dalian, a port city in Northeast China, as a dash for the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games.

    Twenty or 30 more U.S. athletes will come to Dalian in succession in the coming days, said Vicky Oddi, communications coordinator of U.S.track and field squad, on Monday.

    On the campus of Dalian University, a place designated mainly for the American runners' training. Many athletes including some high-profile medalists were practising on Monday morning. The training sessions are 9 a.m.-12 a.m. and 4 p.m.-7 p.m..

    Though the Beijing Olympic Games is only three days to go, the American athletes look very easy, doing warm-up and talking with each other on the tracks.

    "The training place and hotel are nice, I am very happy to be here," said 110m hurdles runner David Oliver.

    Compared with the relaxation of the athletes, security for the U.S. athletics squad is intensified and the local police has beefed up the protection, guarding in and out of the campus and the hotel as well.

    However, the squad is so eye-catching that NBC, AP, Reuters and Xinhua have all sent reporters here to cover the practice of the squad featuring 15 Olympic medalists, 31 World Championships medalists and 11 individual outdoor American record holders.