NBA star Yao Ming and world record hurdler Liu Xiang will soon join other Chinese sports stars in helping to market worldwide Olympic partner Coca Cola, the company announced last week.

The much-heralded Coca-Cola Olympic Star Team features China's top Olympians from various sports, and also includes diving queen Guo JingJing, table tennis champion Wang Liqin, rising basketball star Yi Jianlian and women's volleyball team captain Zhao Ruirui.

"We are very happy to work with a team of the top athletes from different sporting arenas in China," said Howard Lam, Group Sparkling Director of Coca-Cola China. "They are extraordinary embodiments of Coca-Cola's passion for the Olympics. We hope to share our anticipation and excitement for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with these athletes and our consumers."

The soft drink giant has also started the nomination process for the much-anticipated Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay.

Altogether, some 1,188 torchbearers and escort runners will be selected by Coca-Cola from among the general public. People in China are welcome to participate in the nomination and selection process through the iCoke website. They can also join in with local selection activities organized by Coca-Cola bottlers across the country.

As the Beijing Games approaches, the company, which has the longest sponsorship with the Olympic Games, plans to launch its largest-ever marketing campaign this summer, from July 1 to September 30. As part of its promotions, consumers may win a collection of credit cards featuring the aforementioned celebrity endorsers.

Besides the individual athletes, the Coca-Cola Olympic Star Team also include various leading Chinese sports teams, such as its men's basketball team, its women's volleyball team, both diving and gymnastics teams, and both track & field teams.

In addition, the latest Sui Wo Ku bottle featuring the Dancing Beijing Logo was also unveiled. Following the success of this year's debut of the bottle, the new design further connects Coca-Cola consumers with the Olympic dream.