Tag Archives: Olympic Games

China’s Olympics: Day 1 review, Day 2 preview

Despite starting the second day of the figure skating team event in bronze medal position, a disastrous ice dance by Huang Xintong and Zheng Xun in the team competition saw China ranked last out of the ten teams, gaining just a single point. Zhang Kexin didn’t do much better in the ladies short program, ranking 7th and earning four points, meaning that China finished qualification in 7th overall and missed out on a place in the final by three points. Continue reading China’s Olympics: Day 1 review, Day 2 preview

运动员获奖后首先该感谢谁?

在4年前的温哥华冬奥会上,18岁的中国短道速滑运动员周洋打破1500米奥运会纪录,为中国代表队夺得了温哥华奥运会第三块金牌。随后,周洋又帮助中国队以打破世界纪录的成绩夺得3000米接力桂冠。她还进入到短道速滑1000米决赛,并且在半决赛上创下新的世界纪录。 Continue reading 运动员获奖后首先该感谢谁?

China’s Olympics: Day 0 review, Day 1 preview

There was no actual sport on Friday February 7 in Sochi, but there was plenty of action, not least the opening ceremony, which kicked off at 20:14 local time. The Chinese team, led by figure skater Tong Jian, was described by one website as “reliably pleasant peppermint candies“. Here’s why:

2014-Olympic-Opening-Ceremony-China

Continue reading China’s Olympics: Day 0 review, Day 1 preview

China’s Olympics: Day -1 review, Day 0 preview

The Sochi Olympics haven’t officially started yet, but three of the sports have already begun, with four Chinese athletes in action on Thursday February 6.

Ning Qin in action at the Sochi Olympics  Photo credit: Reuters
Ning Qin in action at the Sochi Olympics
Photo credit: Reuters

Continue reading China’s Olympics: Day -1 review, Day 0 preview

Winter Olympics preview: China’s medal hopes [UPDATED]

China has long been known as a Summer Olympic powerhouse (3rd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd in last four Games), with an almost impenetrable grip on sports such as diving and table tennis, but in recent years, it has been at the Winter Olympic Games where China has made the most improvements.

China finished in 16th place in the medal table in Nagano in 1998, then posted 13th and 14th place finishes in Salt Lake City and Turin respectively, but leapt up to 7th in Vancouver four years ago and, in the process, became a genuine force to be reckoned with at the Winter Olympics. Here are the most likely contenders to win medals for the motherland in Sochi: Continue reading Winter Olympics preview: China’s medal hopes [UPDATED]

Li Na & sponsors hoping for Australian Open history

Will it be third time lucky for Li Na at the Australian Open? A dominant semifinal performance saw Li put Canada’s rising star Genie Bouchard firmly in her place, racing to a 5-0 first set lead in just 14 minutes, before cruising to a 6-2, 6-4 win.

Li Na reaches Australian Open finalLi will play Dominika Cibulkova – Slovakia’s first Grand Slam finalist – on Saturday evening in Melbourne and will start as the heavy favorite  in her third Australian Open final in four years, against an opponent she’s never lost to in four matches. But in a tournament full of upsets, who’s to say there won’t be one more? Continue reading Li Na & sponsors hoping for Australian Open history

China begins search for a new Olympic star

I wrote last week about speed skater Wang Meng breaking her ankle after she crashed into an as-yet-unnamed male teammate, putting a serious dent into China’s Olympic hopes. Some people have pointed out to me since that China doesn’t exactly need much sympathy when it comes to the Olympics – their last six medal tables have seen them finish 4th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd.

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

But that is the Summer Games, and the Winter Games is a different story, Continue reading China begins search for a new Olympic star

China’s star skater out of Sochi Games

Wang Meng, China’s most decorated Winter Olympian (4G, 1S, 1B), is out of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi after fracturing her ankle on Thursday. The short track speed skater won three of China’s five gold medals at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 (500m, 1000m, 3000m relay), which won her CCTV’s Sports Personality of the Year award, and she was hotly tipped to add to that tally in Sochi.

Wang Meng in Vancouver 2010 Continue reading China’s star skater out of Sochi Games

China’s long road to the Winter Olympics

With Olympic visas already in force, it’s clear we’re in the final run-up to the Sochi Olympics. But as one cycle nears completion, another one is just starting. The quest to host the 2022 Winter Olympics has begun with six bids from Europe and Asia – including a Chinese bid from Beijing & Zhangjiakou – competing in a fascinating battle between traditional and developing winter sports markets.

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The not so well known ski resort of Zhangjiakou

Continue reading China’s long road to the Winter Olympics