Here is the rest of the article: (in case you are interested)
She has become one of her sport’s all-time greats, but her father says the success has come at a high price to her personal life.
“We accepted a long time ago that she doesn’t belong entirely to us,” Wu Yuming told the Shanghai Morning Post. “I don’t even dare to think about things like enjoying family happiness.”
Wu’s mother defended the decision to keep her situation private and admitted she only broached the subject of her breast cancer at this point because she is now in remission. Both of Wu’s grandparents died more than a year ago, but the diver knew nothing of their passing until this week.
The Chinese government’s attitude towards the performances of its athletes is now coming under greater scrutiny than ever before. Messages of congratulations from the government to athletes through the state news agency have been sent only to gold medalists, not those winning silver or bronze.
“It is too narrow to look at the Olympics purely through the prism of medals,” said an editorial in the China Business News publication. “It is also about sweat, tears, hardships … peace, freedom, and justice.”
However, while China continues to dominate the medal table it is unlikely there will be any significant shift in a system that is regarded with pride within Chinese political circles.
But agreed with what you said in your post. I was just pointing out that if this is intense in the US, its probably twice as worse in some other nations.
Countries like the US have more money, better facilities, better technology, and better ways to find talent (since more US kids are exposed to sports like gymnastics in the first place). If some country like China produces athletes that can beat the US, it’s likely that they just train harder.
It can’t just be that they train harder. Countries like China have invested a lot into their facilities as well as their talent spotting. And while you’re right that facilities are overall far better in the West, at the top level in China, once you’ve been recognized as a talented athlete you get to work with facilities and coaching that match the West.
FYI, College gymnasts are not elite gymnasts. They’re not comparable to what you’re seeing on TV. By college, they’ve passed their prime.
I did read the article you mentioned, and I was pointing my response at the notion expressed in the article about Chinese training being insane, not you personally.
Someone from my college actually went to the Olympics team. He can do push ups with his feet not touching the ground. Male gymnasts can be competitive until late 20s.
Talent recognition is difficult in a country like China. Few kids there get involved in sports like gymnastics. In the US, let’s say 5% of kids are exposed to gymnastics and the US trains the top 0.01% of these. In China, 0.01% of kids get involved in gymnastics and they train the top 5% of these. China will be less likely than the US to find a truly talented kid.
I’ve also never heard a story in the US like what ZeroBonus has posted.
I was referring to womens’ gymnastics. Anyways, they don’t need to get involved in gymnastics. You can take 5 yr olds, and test their athleticism, and if they meet standards put them into a sports school. It’s pretty easy and cost effective to do so. (Soviet Union used to do just that). After a 2-3 years the less talented kids can be discarded.
Is anyone else here heartbroken that Catalina Ponor (Romania) didn’t win a gold medal, and got squeezed out of a bronze on the balance beam because of tiebreaker procedures? For me, she’s one of the most beautiful athletes that I’ve seen at the Olympics.
No. Aliya Mustafina is the “most beautiful athlete”. She was also the 2010 world champion and recovering from an ACL tear last year. I find that inspiring as well.
I noticed Catalina Ponor during the team qualifying. She’s at the top of my list as far a gymnasts go.
The tie breaking procedure in gymnastics is ridiculous. If two athletes get the same score they should both medal. If two runners or swimmers tie to whatever fraction of a second they measure, it’s not like they throw out the first 10 meters of the race and give the medal to whomever went faster after that.
BTW, how does NBC pay a billion for the games but not show it live? Especially when the event is during their Olympic coverage (the 100 m last Sunday).
