Team China

[jonathantwu]

Fu is actually a college student with a real education. She will do fine after the game I hope.

The Chinese gymnasts are not as good as 2008 and 2012 so I have no idea what they will do next, given the system that grooms them since a very young age. It must be sucky when your whole future is on the line when you compete at the Olympics. Hope they quit using kids and girls for "national pride" of the CCP after this.

[Randy W]

In the WaPo

 

 

Embarrassing ‘flops’ or true Olympians — is China moving beyond its gold obsession?

 

The Chinese public, wrote Xu Ming in the Global Times on Tuesday, is “unfazed by sluggish medal winning” in Rio, celebrating the “most relaxed games ever for China.” Chinese athletes, wrote Wang Wenwen in the same paper, had been “relieved of unfair expectations” because the nation no longer had so much to prove.

 

But sometimes the frustration boils over, especially when a country still remembered for invading China in the 19^th century gains the upper hand.

 

"You're kidding me," Xinhua tweeted on Monday, as Britain overtook China to claim second place in the medal table. “The country which has never finished above China is about to.”

 

That tweet has since been deleted, reflecting perhaps the uncertainty over quite how China should react to this relative reversal of fortunes.

 

 

 

I've noticed a much more relaxed and pleasant Olympics, with more foreign coverage (including interviews with some English-speaking athletes), and a wife NOT continually asking what the gold-medal count is (I usually have to make it a point to NOT know).

[Randy W]

The Global Times doesn't seem to be real happy about the U.S. team's gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay

 

IAAF picks up baton for US relay team

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has the final say. Even though the decision is problematic, we cannot confront it. The Chinese team said it would respect the IAAF's final decision and will not do anything they are not entitled to.

However, the Chinese public can loudly express their dissatisfaction with the IAAF. This decision is not reasonable, and even odd. Even the Americans told the media that the US team being allowed to race alone was surprising.

The IAAF appeared to be leaning toward the US as perhaps it was worried that a final without one of the world's top teams would not be a good show.

Everyone knows that US sprinters are great. But that does not mean they can easily grab gold medals - look at the men's 100-meter and 200-meter races

 

 

Netizens slam IAAF decision to allow US relay re-run

 

 

. . . but it looks like the Brazilian athlete was clearly out of her lane

 

https://youtu.be/XDcBFgMJj4I

[Randy W]

in the SCMP - the Women's Volleyball Coach

Volleyball visionary: coach Lang Ping worth her weight in gold – and more

Guangdong Evergrande hand over 56-year-old to Olympic team in the ‘national interest’ and continue to pay 5-million-yuan-a-year salary

 

 

Quote

From China to Italy, the US, Turkey and back to China, the legendary coach, who also led the Chinese team to be world champions four times as a player, has made the most of what she does best while travelling the world.

At the same time, Lang – imbued with an international vision and forthright opinions – has repeatedly rebuilt confidence in Chinese volleyball, while coping with the shackles of China’s sports bureaucracy.

. . .

Apart from her success as a player, her contribution as a national team coach has included a bronze medal at the 1995 World Cup, silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games and 1998 world championships and a gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games.

Instead of becoming an official at China’s sports bureau, Lang left to study in the US after retiring in 1985.

. . .

She was also tired of the politics in China, where she became a scapegoat of local officials in Chenzhou, Hunan province, over a funding dispute for a training field in the city.

. . .

In 2005, Lang went on to coach of the US national team, who faced off with China in her home country at the 2008 Olympics. The US team defeated China 3-2.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Greg.D.]

The complaint that the top relay team in the Olympics should not be allowed to run their race again (why not alone?) is so hollow. All because China was bumped from the last qualifying position.

 

The Chinese men did well in the 4 X 100m relay but "netizens" also complained that Japan should be disqualified so China could get bronze.

 

I have other thoughts about the prospects for a country that is used to complaining about their unfair treatment in international settings.

[Randy W]

I saw this when it was broadcast on CCTV - seems pretty good, but heavily accented. He seems to stumble on some expressions, but seems to be carrying on a pretty good conversation there.

in the Shanghaiist

Danish badminton bronze medalist Viktor Axelson beats Lin Dan, speaks Mandarin to CCTV

on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BadmintonLiveNews/videos/929672647143622/

Edited April 26, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)