ULTIMATE GIFT FLOORED AGAIN TALE OF TWO NATIONS How do China and India Organ donation project Gymnast dominates compare in the IT fi eld? > p13 gradually expands for men’s fl oor title > CHINA, PAGE 8 > OLYMPICS, PAGE 3 OLYMPIC SPECIAL CHINADAILY MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012 chinadaily.com.cn Issue No 12 £1 Finally, Wimbledon glory for Murray By ASSOCIATED PRESS in Wimbledon, England Andy Murray stood with the Union Jack draped over his shoulders, an Olympic gold medal around his neck, fl anked by the man he had just beaten, Roger Federer, and basking in the roar of the Centre Court crowd. No wonder the often dour Scotsman was grinning. Murray won one for the home team on Sun- day, beating Federer 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the tennis fi nal at Wimbledon. Th e victory marked a career breakthrough for Murray. He has lost all four of his Grand Slam finals, three against Federer, including Wimbledon a month ago. “I’ve had a lot of tough losses in my career,” he said. “Th is is the best way to come back from the Wimbledon fi nal. I’ll never forget it.” For Federer, the drubbing marked another Olympic disappointment. Playing in the Games for the fourth time, he sought a victory to com- plete a career Golden Slam but settled for silver — his fi rst singles medal. “Don’t feel too bad for me,” Federer said. “I felt like I won my silver, I didn’t lose it. So I feel really happy.” Murray swept nine consecutive games to take control, breaking Federer’s serve four times in a row, his inspired play a refl ection of raucous crowd support. He erased all nine break points he faced. “He never looked back,” Federer said. “His LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN credit for getting in the lead and using the crowd to come through. He did an unbelievable job.” PHOTO BY ERIC FEFERBERG / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE The match capped the most memorable Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates aft er winning the gold medal in the men’s 100m fi nal at the athletics event during the London Olympics Olympics for tennis since it returned to the Games in 1988 after a 64-year absence. The on Sunday. Bolt repeated as the fastest man on Earth. event transformed staid Wimbledon into a more festive place. Murray became the fi rst British man to win the gold in singles since Josiah Ritchie in 1908. Th ose Games took place at Wimbledon, too. In the day’s first match on Centre Court, women’s singles champion Serena Williams ‘Super Dan’ defends title teamed with sister Venus to win their third career doubles gold medal. They defeated Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4 under the retract- able roof. Chinese badminton ace earns second singles gold medal Murray settled for a silver in mixed doubles with teammate Laura Robson. They lost to By SUN XIAOCHEN in London which also featured 2004 Olympic and close friends, and expect that Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi of Belarus, [email protected] champion Taufi k Hidayat and Dane relationship to continue. 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (8). veteran Peter Gade. “I feel so honored and lucky to Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina won It’s hard to be great if you’ve never Still, both insisted they might have had him facing me on the the bronze in men’s singles, beating Novak beaten anybody great. stick around. other side of the court for so many Djokovic of Serbia 7-5, 6-4. Maria Kirilenko Lucky for Chinese badminton “I don’t know yet, but I won’t years,” Lin said. “To have an equal- and Nadia Petrova of Russia won the bronze in ace Lin Dan, he’s got Malaysia’s Lee make a quick decision,” said Lin, level opponent is defi nitely impor- women’s doubles. Chong Wei. 28. “If I continue, I have to set an tant for me (to keep motivated). I The roof opened shortly before the men’s In the latest major showdown exact goal to follow and fi nd a prop- cherish every match we had and final, and the beloved Federer — winner of of the greatest rivalry er approach. Otherwise, it will be look forward to having more.” seven Wimbledon titles — walked onto the in the sport’s history, a burden for me (to play as many Lee, who lags 23-9 in their face- sun-splashed grass to a standing ovation. Th en Lin outperformed Lee, tournaments as I did).” to-face meetings, echoed Li’s senti- Murray entered, and the ovation became a roar. 15-21, 21-10, 21-19, at Lee, the current world No 2 who ment. At the far end of the All-England Club, thou- Wembley Arena on also lost to Lin in the Beijing Games “Lin is a fantastic player and there sands of fans with grounds passes enjoyed a Sunday to become the first man final, already has his eyes on the will be only one Lin in the world,” carnival atmosphere on the picnic hill known to defend an Olympic singles gold next target. he said. “We also have other players as Murray Mound while watching the match medal. “You will still have me around in like Taufi k, Gade and Chen Long. on a huge video screen. Th e nerve-racking fi nal was the the next two years because I intend Most of us have a very tough rivalry, Federer wore red and Murray blue in the climax of a tournament in which to fi ght for the 2014 Asian Games and it’s not a problem for me to play most colorful tournament ever held at Wimble- China achieved its fi rst sweep of the title and the Commonwealth against those guys. It’s always hard don. Th eir tactics were also in sharp contrast. fi ve gold medals on off er. It followed Games crown,” the 29-year-old said. to handle Lin, because he’s the best. Murray returned aggressively to repeat- men’s pair Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng’s Aft er a series of battles fought “But we have had a very good edly put Federer on the defensive when serv- straight-sets victory over Danish over more than eight years since friendship off the court for many ing. Federer tried to come forward more duo Mathias Boe and Carsten their first major meeting at the years. At the end of this month, REN ZHENGLAI / XINHUA than in any match this summer, but Murray Mogensen in the doubles fi nal. 2004 Thomas Cup (the men’s when I go to China for a tourna- Lin Dan acknowledges the crowd’s applause after beating longtime answered with a succession of crisp passing The clash might have been the team world championship), Lin ment, we will have a chance to fur- rival Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia to win the badminton gold medal in shots for winners. fi nal chapter of the great-four era, and Lee have become tough rivals ther enhance our relationship.” London on Sunday. In this issue Foreign coaching legion plays role in winning campaign CHINA .............. 2,8,9,10,11,12 OLYMPICS ......................... 3-6 COMMENT ............................. 7 By SUN XIAOCHEN hunt for gold, silver and bronze. of the women’s water polo team, said the World Championships in Shanghai praised us and made us believe in COVER STORY .................... 10 in London Th e strategy has been pretty success- trust was the fi rst step to success. last year. ourselves.” [email protected] ful, so far. “Th ere may be too much emphasis However, three straight losses in the Giralt has been a controversial fi gure BUSINESS ...................... 13-17 China, along with the US, heads the on gold medals and too much hard, pool stage dampened expectations. since joining the team in 2007 for the LIFE .................................20, 21 They could be dubbed the sport- medal table, and foreign coaches have hard work,’’ Giralt, told China Daily on Players were disappointed but Beijing Olympics. He is known for his WORLD .......................... 23, 24 ing foreign legion and, appropriately, helped Chinese athletes conquer the Friday. Sometimes it feels as if you are remained firmly supportive of their passionate coaching and tough train- French coach Daniel Levavasseur is world in sports normally associated expected to win gold, and nothing else outspoken mentor. ing regime. one of them. with the West. will do, he said. “Yeah, he really blamed us for some Th e energetic Spaniard does not pull He helped the women’s epee team But winning formulas do not happen Dubbed the “water polo godfather”, mistakes we made, not for the poor punches and will target any player that win an Olympic gold medal on Satur- overnight. It takes years of blood, sweat the Spaniard carried great expectations results but for the way we played,” he thinks is not giving their utmost. day and is one of more than 20 foreign and tears and trust must be established. to London aft er driving the little-fan- Ma Huan-huan, the team’s top scor- coaches hired to help Chinese athletes Juan Jane Giralt, the Spanish coach cied squad to a historic silver medal at er, said. “But he still motivated and SEE “COACH” PAGE 5.