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Efforts promised for China's winter sports
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-02-28 06:07
Among them, short track speedskater Wang Meng was undoubtedly the biggest
draw. Winning one medal in each colour, Wang pocketed the most medals in the
delegation.
Seen as the new leader of the women's short track team, Wang, 20, is ready to
take on the responsibility.
"The Olympic Games is a valuable experience for me," she said. "On returning
to China, I will train harder than before with my team-mates and try to regain
our country's glory on the short track."
The freestyle aerials team, which showed strong overall strength at the Turin
Games, also comprises promising young talents.
Led by 23-year-old silver medallist Li, the women's team has Guo Xinxin, 22,
who finished sixth, Wang Jiao, 22, who finished 11th and the two substitutes,
Cheng Shuang and Zhang Xin.
The men's gold medallist Han is also just 22 years old..
In the speed skating team, 23-year-old Ren Hui performed her best to take the
bronze in the women's 500m event, compensating for big favourite, veteran Wang
Manli failing to take the gold after buckling under pressure.
The Chinese team's most attractive athletes were figure skaters Zhang Dan and
Zhang Hao.
Despite crashing after an attempted throw quadruple salchow went wrong, Zhang
Dan recovered quickly against all odds to skate beautifully and claim a silver
medal with her partner. Their courage moved the whole world and even
overshadowed the gold medallists, Russia's Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin.
"The young athletes have show their strong potential at the Games and their
steady performances have boosted our hope in the winter sports," Xiao said.
Veterans' farewell
The Turin Games also marked an end to the careers of several veterans.
Recovering from a serious tendon injury with surprising speed, Zhao Hongbo,
China's figure skating pair's star skater, went through an elegant routine with
his partner Shen Xue, to win them the bronze.
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