Injured Chinese basketball player Yao Ming waves as he arrives at a media conference in Beijing June 26, 2008. The 7ft 6in (2.29-metre) Houston Rockets center, who returned from surgery on his left foot after his NBA season was cut short by a fractured foot in February, is confident in leading his nation's basketball challenge at the Beijing Olympics and said on Thursday he should be back on court in mid-July. (Agencies)