Artistic squad excels
China’s artistic squad dominates in Indonesia as prelude to Olympics
Things are back to normal after China reasserted its dominance in artistic gymnastics at the Asian Games this week.
But the squad remains firmly focused on bigger challenges — not least of which is the sport’s health and future back home.
With the Tokyo Olympics in mind, younger athletes got their chance to shine in Indonesia — an opportunity they grasped with both hands in a gold rush.
The men’s victory was particularly satisfying following Japan’s stunning victory in 2014 in South Korea.
Since that defeat, a new generation of Chinese stars has emerged, with world champion pair Xiao Ruoteng and Lin Chaopan in imperious form in Jakarta to reclaim the gold.
“With a points total of 260.950, we are not only competitive in Asia but also the whole world,” said Ye Zhennan, the team’s manager.
“However, as we have said many times, we are aiming for the Tokyo Olympics in two years’ time. So it is vital that we improve and iron out any problems.
“We still have weaknesses, so we can’t be too content and become over-confident just because we won the Asian Games gold. We have to be more competitive for the 2020 Olympics.”
The women, meanwhile, hope that new head coach Qiao Liang can give them the edge in Tokyo.
Qiao is notable for having coached US Olympic champions Shawn Johnson (2008, balance beam) and Gabby Douglas (2012, all-around).
He places an emphasis on strength training in order to give the Chinese girls a better chance against the traditionally powerful Americans.
“Body strength training should be very comprehensive, including the legs, the arms and the waist, and for the artistic event we have specialized strength training methods,” said Qiao.
“As the coach, we have to dig out the potential of every athlete.
“The Asian Games is just a test, the world championships and the Tokyo Olympics are our main goals. Step by step, we will be there.”
Ye reckons Qiao’s appointment could be the masterstroke that puts China over the top.
“Qiao boasts not only China’s skills advantage as he is a former gymnast himself, but also the knowledge of body strength training because of his experience in the US,” said Ye.
“We have the skills advantage but, due to the lack of body strength, our gymnasts are not that steady in key moments.
“That’s why Qiao is here.” The national team’s vision, however, goes beyond the Tokyo Olympics.
With more and more sporting and recreational choices available to Chinese kids, the tough training synonymous with gymnastics is more likely to be a turn-off for them and their parents.
Happy part
Improving the sport’s image is therefore a top priority.
“Take the US as an example — many kids are trained at gymnastics clubs, but for most of the school kids in China, gymnastics is a sport that is far beyond their reach,” Ye told China Daily.
“So we are constantly reforming. We want the sport to be a happy part of a child’s life in our country.
“We’ve started some ‘happy gymnastics’ programs for little kids, and in the future we will cooperate with schools to promote our sport.
“It’s important for people to understand that gymnastics is not just an Olympics medal event. It’s a sport that can be embraced by everyone.
“It’s also a part of our nation’s national fitness program. We want to build a new ecosystem for gymnastics.
“Overtraining and injuries are not welcome here. We are trying to set an example for the nation’s other gymnastics athletes and coaches.”
The 50-year-old Qiao, whose beaming smile rarely fades as he watches over his charges, is the embodiment of that philosophy.
“Just look how happy our athletes were during the competitions,” he said. “A healthy mentality starts from training. It’s important for coaches and team leaders to create a happy atmosphere for our athletes.
“They’ve already practiced really hard, so why not enjoy the process? That’s how we get good results.”