BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese swimming is still looking forward to a gold medal at the upcoming FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, said the national team's head coach Zhang Yadong here on Tuesday.

The FINA World Championships will be held on March 17-April 1. The Chinese swimming team unveiled the 44-member squad in which 21swimmers are world championships rookies.

Although Zhang said the team is going to fight for a gold in Melbourne, he could not recommend any favorite or potential winner since Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan had retired earlier this year.

Luo won China's only swimming gold at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Besides, she clinched the women's 50 and 100 meters breaststroke events at both 2001 and 2003 world championships. The23-year-old announced retirement due to heart problems on January 29, making the Chinese team lose its most shining star in recent years.

Without Luo, Zhang could only revealed that Wu Peng, Qi Hui freestyle specialist Zhang Lin are hopefuls to make podium finishes at the World Championships.

Wu notched up the men's 200 meters butterfly gold at last year's Doha Asian Games and his winning time 1 minute 54.91 seconds was the second fastest result in the 2006 world rankings.

With an aim to claim a medal in Melbourne, Wu will focus on the200 meters butterfly event and try to get closer to American prodigy Michael Phelps, who renewed his own world record to 1 minute 53.71 seconds last month.

As for Qi Hui, the three-time title winner at the Doha Asian Games will take part in the women's 200 meters breaststroke, 200 meters and 400 meters individual medley events.