Another medal-heavy performance from Chinese athletes as they took the 30th Modern Olympic Games by storm.
China's athletes enter the Olympic stadium in London Image: Nick J Webb |
Chinese athletes delivered another world-class performance at this year's summer Olympics in London, firmly securing second place in the overall medals table behind the US.
Sporting highlights included Sun Yang's effortless 400m freestyle swim and Ye Shiwen's record-breaking aquatic performances. China performed spectacularly at the Olympics, delivering a total of 88 medals.
Diving, gymnastics and swimming were the nation's top-earning sports this year, winning a combined total of 32 medals, including 16 golds. Many were stunned by the age of China's record-breaking athletes; Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen, both from the eastern city of Hangzhou, are only 20 and 16 years old, respectively, yet both won two individual gold medals in swimming. The nation's weightlifters also provided another highlight, winning a further five golds and two silvers and establishing two new world records.
The Games were not totally without controversy for China's athletes and media. Ye Shiwen voiced strong opinions against US team coach John Leonard, after he suggested her ultra-quick 50m leg of the 400M relay had aroused suspicions of doping. She claimed no other nation had been placed under such scrutiny, despite similar or even better times. Also, two Chinese badminton players were amongst eight disqualified for allegedly 'fixing' their match to allow easier progression in the following round - a decision heavily criticised by Chinese sporting authorities.
Meanwhile, an article in Nanjing's Oriental Guardian revealed that reporters at CCTV knew the nation's most beloved hurdlers, Liu Xiang, was suffering from a “serious injury” and would not finish the race even before the starting gun was fired. Commentators were allegedly given four officially approved scripts before the race, including the “choked up” option which was the version eventually delivered by presenter Yang Jian.
Despite this, China's ascension into a world-beating Olympic nation is unprecedented in Games history. The country first competed at the Helsinki games in 1952, participating in only one event and did not win a gold medal until the 1984 games at Los Angeles. In 2008, Beijing hosted a spectacular games, winning 100 medals, over half of which were gold, and ranked top of the medal table.