SHANGHAI, Oct.1 (Xinhua) -- One day before the opening of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, host China is prepared to show what they have done in the last three months' efforts.

"The athletes have been training hard with their trainers in the scorching summer, and now it is time for them to reap the good results," Wang Xinxian, head of the Chinese delegation, said on Monday at the delegation's last plenary session ahead of the big festival for the mentally disabled around the world.

"We always told the athletes to compete with the greatest of enthusiasm, and show up their self-confidence and self-reliance," he said, adding that hosting and participating such a big event is a trial as well as an opportunity for the country's ongoing support for the disabled.

"I encourage them to give it a shot in the field, even try to win and hopefully they can share the moments with friends coming from the world."

A record of 7,291 athletes from 164 countries and regions are set to take part in the Oct. 2-11 event in Shanghai, with the eldest aged 69 and the youngest at 8.

The Games will also welcome 2,302 trainers, more than 20,000 family members of the athletes, celebrities, VIPs and some 40,000 volunteers from all over the world.

The host country has sent the biggest delegation on record consisting of 1,716 people, among them 1,276 are athletes.

However, Wang yet again stressed that competing was not given priority in the Games, saying that "it is not competition that underlines the Special Olympics, it is all about participation. The sports are only serving as a way for the kids to get integrated into society."

Since 1987, China has sent delegations to summer and winter Special Olympics World Games. The size of the Chinese delegation has increased for each event.

According to the figures released by the organizers, China has about 10 million people with intellectual disabilities. Globally there are 170 million, accounting for three percent of the total world population.