- Title: CHINA: CHINA HOPEFUL OF IMPROVED PERFORMANCE IN WINTER OLYMPICS
- Date: 8th January 2002
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 9, 2002) (REUTERS) ICE SKATING RINK NEAR THE FORBIDDEN CITY ICE SKATERS SKATING 76-YEAR-OLD SHANG QINGYUN PRACTISING HIS MOVES (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 76-YEAR-OLD SHANG QINGYUN, SAYING: "The air's fresh outside and it keeps me active. As you can see, I'm already over 70 but I'm still active because I do this sport, but if I didn't do this I wouldn't be so agile" SHANG ON THE ICE BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 8, 2002) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE BY BEIJING OLYMPIC OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TU MINGDE, CHINA'S OLYMPIC COMMISSION CHIEF SECRETARY, SAYING: "The success of Beijing's bid for 2008 Olympic Games defintitely will encourage them to make even greater efforts in the winter sports and I think, hopefully, our athletes really can learn from the spirit of the Beijing Olympic bid committee to win the Olympic bid and they will try all their best to win gold" CHINA WINTER OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATING COMPETITORS ZHAO HONGBAO AND SHEN XUE TRAINING SHEN AND ZHAO PRACTISING QUADRUPLE THROW/SHEN FALLING ON THE ICE SHEN AND ZHAO TRYIN AGAIN THE QUADRUPLE THROW AND THEN FOR A THIRD TIME, EACH TIME SHEN FALLING ON THE ICE SHEN AND ZHAO TALKING WITH THEIR COACH (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ZHAO HONGBO, SKATER, SAYING: "This time our mission is to win a medal and maybe even a gold medal, this is the biggest competition of our lives, because we're already getting too old to take part in the next Olympics" ZHAO AND SHEN TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) SHEN XUE, SKATER, SAYING: "This year is a lucky year for China, our soccer team made it to the World Cup and the Olympic bid was successful so I hope we can be lucky in the Winter Olympic Games" MORE OF ZHAO AND SHEN PRACTISING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd January 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA95ET4V9VT8BCHLWLQWABNXIJI
- Story Text: Hopes are high that next month's Winter Olympics could finally bring China its first gold medal based on the euphoria of Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
While winter sports are becoming increasingly popular, China's winter sports athletes still lag far behind other countries. But with the Winter Olympics less than a month away, that might be about to change -- fuelled by a growing interest in winter sports.
In the shadow of the Forbidden City, amateur skaters are making the most of the winter cold and practising their moves on ice.
People like 76-year-old Shang Qingyun (pron: Shang Ching-yun) may not be about to bring home any gold medals, but for him ice-skating remains the best way of beating off the cold.
"The air's fresh outside and it keeps me active. As you can see, I'm already over 70 but I'm still active because I do this sport, but if I didn't do this I wouldn't be so agile,"
said Shang.
But with memories still fresh of Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympics, sports officials are determined to lift China's winter athletes into the top tier of competition.
China's short track speed skaters, figure skaters and freestyle skiers are vying to be the first in breaking the gold medal jinx. At Nagano, China won six silver medals and three bronzes.
Tu Mingde (pron: Too Ming-dur), China's Olympic Commission Chief Secretary, said he hoped the successful Olympic bid would inspire the nation's winter athletes.
"The success of Beijing's bid for 2008 Olympic Games defintitely will encourage them to make even greater efforts in the winter sports and I think, hopefully, our athletes really can learn from the spirit of the Beijing Olympic bid committee to win the Olympic bid and they will try all their best to win gold."
Figure skating duo Shen Xue (pron: Shen Shu-ye) and Zhao Hongbo (pron: Jow Hongbo) are among China's brightest gold medal hopes.
On the outskirts of Beijing, the pair go through their paces -- trying out a quadruple throw -- rated the most difficult and dangerous move in the sport. It's gruelling and bruising work.
But for this pair, the Salt Lake City Games represents the last chance for Olympic glory. At Nagano in 1998, the duo came a disappointing fourth. This year, they are setting their sights on the top prize.
"This time our mission is to win a medal and maybe even a gold medal, this is the biggest competition of our lives, because we're already getting too old to take part in the next Olympics," said skater Zhao Hongbo.
The two will up against intense competition from Russia and Canada, but Zhao's partner Shen is hoping to ride on China's wave of sporting good fortune over the past 12 months.
"This year has been a lucky year for China, our soccer team made it to the World Cup and the Olympic bid was successful so I hope we can be lucky in the Winter Olympic Games," said Shen.
China is sending its biggest ever delegation to the Games which have been overshadowed by security concerns in the wake of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
Zhao and Shen will perform to the music from Puccini's opera "Turandot" - hoping to pull off the performance of a lifetime -- and make history by bringing home China's elusive first Winter Olympic gold medal. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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