ALL looks set for Asian powerhouse, China to eclipse the United States at the top of gold medal tally when they play host to the 2008 summer Olympic Games at Beijing.
China astonished all and sundry when during the previous Olympics, in Athens, it led the medals table for eight of the first ten days. At the same time, the Chinese improved their overall medals tally and finished second only to the US. In Athens last year, China went home with no less than 32 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze medals. Experts are now contending that China’s global domination of the sporting world is only a matter of time.
The difference in China’s and that of the US’, No 1 at Athens, medal tally was very minor. America, that is considered a force to reckon with in the quadrennial Olympics, took home the honours with only 35 gold, 39 silver and 29 bronze medals; a difference of only three gold medals.
China’s progress into global sports ascendancy has been the result of gradual successes. It started in 1996, during the Atlanta Olympics where China finished fourth with 16 gold, 22 silver and 12 bronze medals. Then it was placed behind the US, Russia and Germany. Four years later it was Sydney, Australia, where China, with 28 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze placed third, behind the US and Russia, in the overall medals tally. And now it is the second most powerful country at the Olympics.
At Athens, the road to China’s success was littered with golds in a variety of games. The Chinese pocketed the No 1 spot in diving (6), weightlifting (5), shooting (4), table-tennis (3), badminton (3), taekwondo (2), track and field (2), judo (1), gymnastics (artistic) (1), swimming (1), canoeing (1), tennis (1), volleyball (indoor) (1) and wrestling (1). Altogether, the Chinese secured medals in twenty disciplines at Athens.
HOCKEY LESSONS: As part of its preparations for domination during Beijing 2008, China is taking hockey lessons from Pakistan and has also secured the services of a coach from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). To this end, a variety of Chinese hockey teams have been paying Pakistan a visit as part of their continuing preparation. In fact, in 2003, the Chinese pulled off a major upset by chalking up a 3-1 victory against Pakistan juniors.
Recently, a team from the Gangsu province participated in the departmental round of the 52nd National Hockey Championship. The visitors held KESC to a three-all draw while they beat POF Wah 3-2 to finish third in the five team pool, behind Army and the National Bank.
The performance speaks volumes of how much China wants to wriggle out of its minnow-status and become a serious threat to the Asian giants of the game in the days to come.
OTHER PREPARATIONS: Meanwhile, according to the Beijing Review, a total of 280 billion yuan ($33.82 billion) would be incurred on various construction projects around Beijing, and 64 per cent of the capital would be used for infrastructure projects — including building new sports venues and renovating existing ones, improving airports, public transportation systems and expressways, as well as gas, electricity and water supply etc. In total, China plans to build 15 stadiums and gymnasiums for the Games.
Beijing was awarded the Games for 2008 on July 13, 2001 at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow. In the process it beat Toronto, Istanbul, Paris and Osaka.
In the run up to the vote, the European block made a lot of hue and cry, levelling allegations pertaining to human-rights in China, but the would-be host overcame all the opposition by convincing IOC.
In securing the vote, Beijing became only the third Asian city after Tokyo (1964) and Seoul (1988) to stage the quadrangular Olympics. The President of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, termed the choice of Beijing as a big honour and a big victory for Asia.
It may be recalled, that Beijing wanted to host the 2000 Olympics, but was edged out by Sydney by a mere two votes; 45 to 43, in the final round.
