4 olympics THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012 DAILY

HOTONWEB

@Lin Qingfeng “Finally, revenge!” Chinese weightlifter Lin Qingfeng, after winning the men’s 69kg category

@Qian Hong “The era of Ye Shiwen has come.” Former Chinese swimmer Qian Hong on Ye’s second gold at the London Games

@Chen Ruolin “Teacher He, why didn’t you send congratulations to me? I have been waiting for a long time. Unfair! Unfair! @He Jiong!” Chinese diver Chen Ruolin deriding He Jiong, a popular Chinese TV host, for not praising her victory

@Wang Hao “Uh ... Are you OK, Tianjin? Allow me to say — my house is located on the fi rst fl oor.” Chinese diver Wang Hao, on the recent rainstorms in his hometown, Tianjin

@Weightlifter Jie “My friends, thank you for your support and encouragement! So CUI MENG / CHINA DAILY thankful! But there is still one thing China’s pumps her fi st during her table match against compatriot at the London Games at the ExceL Centre on Wednesday. Li won the gold, 4-1. I feel so sorry about — Zhang Jie has been disturbed by many people due to my thoughtlessness. I’m sorry!” Chinese weightlifter Zhang Jie on A little bit of China never hurts his performance in London @Gymnastics Lu Bo “Our girls shed the tears of regret, not of failure. Adjust well. There are Many other countries’ rosters dotted I didn’t hear any opposing voices against naturalizing Chinese players. And the fans chanted still competitions ahead! Once you opposing voices try your best, nothing is regretful. with former national team players for me hard, as well.” You know many other factors also against natural- A renowned European urged other infl uenced your scores. Don’t worry! izing Chinese players to accept the infl ux of Chinese. At least you don’t need to marry Guo By SUN XIAOCHEN was replaced by some Chinese player, players. And the “I don’t think most of the countries Weiyang, right? Hold on! Come on! [email protected] the negative way (to look at it) is to welcome the Chinese, but it’s really You are the best!” complain it’s not fair. But the key is to fans chanted for wrong that you say it’s bad,” said Aus- Chinese gymnast Lu Bo on the They might be wearing other treat it positively. me hard, as well.” trian Werner Schlager. women’s team losing the team ‘‘ event in London nations’ fl ags, but half the 16 players “They will be great practice part- WU JIABAO “It’s wrong because you don’t use in the women’s singles ners. Th ey can improve the level of the it and learn from it. Who’s the No 1 NATIVE CHINESE PLAYER @ladygaga tournament at the London Olympics country. You have to get the best out of REPRESENTING GERMANY AT country in terms of knowledge of table are former Chinese national or pro- it, and then you can benefi t.” THE LONDON GAMES tennis? China. So we should learn “The Olympics is the best ever. But I vincial team members. Liu Na is the only Chinese player on from and use their players.” went through a whole pack of tissues Most hit a wall in their Britain’s team. Meanwhile, the overseas troops last night, watching hard working athletes achieve their dreams.” progress in China and Having grown up in Northeast table tennis.” am happy that I’ve attended the Olym- have been giving China headaches. International pop icon Lady Gaga found homes on teams China’s Liaoning province, Liu went Competing in the team event, Liu pics twice. If I stayed in China, it would With a team made up entirely of for- on the Olympics and the athletes that gave them a clearer to Northern Ireland in 2000 to play in said it’s always been her dream to play have been impossible.” mer Chinese players — including top path the Olympics. a tournament and returned the follow- in the Olympics. Wu finished 17th in the singles 10 players Li Jiawei and One problem: Are they blocking the ing year to coach. had similar motivations. competition at the Games. — ’s women’s team stunned development of young players on their She made it her home and obtained Wu, 35, went to a German club to She began studying German based China at the 2010 Moscow Worlds to new teams? British citizenship in 2008. continue her career aft er graduating on her English. Wu said the country is grab the title, and will expect at least a Maybe. Maybe not. “I came back in 2001 to coach in from the East China University of Sci- more accepting than she’d anticipated, podium fi nish in London. Donald Parker was head coach of schools and clubs. I was also learning ence and Technology, dreaming of the and she has made a number of local Still, China will be tough to beat. England’s squad at three Olympics, English. I really liked it here in Britain,” Olympics. friends. “I still have a strong feeling that Chi- from 1988-96. she said. “I didn’t have a chance to be recruit- “Th ey don’t take it that way (being na will sweep all the gold. But they are “It’s great to have fantastic players “It was diff erent from my home ed into the national team because the unhappy that I’m on the team),” Wu already beginning to help other coun- @Tian Tingting from abroad so the young guns can in China. Initially, the level was competition is too tough (in China),” said. tries, and it’s vital for the sport,” said “Ye Shiwen breaks a record again! But learn from them,” he told China Daily low, and there weren’t that many said Wu, who used to be a member of “If you beat them decently on the Peter Hubner, a Press-Agency Germa- someone said she has taken drugs. on Monday. schools involved. But aft er 10 years the Zhejiang provincial squad. court, they will respect you and try ny sports reporter who has been follow- Why does this always happen when “There will be the downside. If I we have many more people playing “Th e decision was a hard one, but I to learn from you. I didn’t hear any ing Chinese table tennis for 20 years. the Chinese win a gold? Why weren’t there any questions about Phelps when he won eight gold medals in 2008? Hold on, Ye Shiwen! Hold on, China!” China’s former synchronized nail down rich nerd demographic swimmer Tian Tingting talking about Ye’s second gold

By CHEN XIANGFENG Timothy Wang is the only man on Wu’s coach , who now runs @MichaelPhelps in London the team and, at the age of 20, is its a club in El Monte, , said for “Number 18 and 19 for my career so [email protected] oldest member. table tennis players in the US, quali- far!!! Omg I’m speechless right now!” He began playing at age 4 and won fying for the Olympics is a victory US swimmer Michael Phelps on Th e table tennis team the US national championship in unto itself. becoming the most decorated might not be winning all its matches, 2010. “Table tennis is a small sport in Olympic athlete with 19 medals but it’s defi nitely winning some big He lost in the preliminaries, but — the US. To compete in the Olym- fans. this time — just being at the Olym- pic Games is like winning for these @MarioBalotelli Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates pics was good enough. youngsters,” said Gao, a former Chi- “Michael Phelps, the fastest swimmer was on hand when of “I’m really pleased to be here,” he nese national player. in water. Ashley Young, the fastest the US lost to China’s Li Xiaoxia on said. “It’s an amazing experience for Gao won the 1992 Barcelona swimmer on land.” Manchester City striker Mario Monday in the third round at the me. When I came out into the arena Olympics women’s doubles silver Balotelli appreciating Michael London Olympics. I had goose bumps from the cheer- medal for China. Phelps’ feat, but still taking a shot With all four members of the team ing of the crowd. Playing here is like She moved to the US in 1994 and at Manchester United’s Ashley being of Chinese descent, the team being on center court the whole time.” became a citizen. She competed for Young has also become a topic of conversa- As a Chinese-American, Wang the US in three consecutive Olym- tion among fans and the media in was invited to China earlier this year pics, beginning in 2000. @lolojones China. as part of the 40th anniversary of SERGEI GRITS / ASSOCIATED PRESS Gao is well aware of the huge gap “Even Rappers want bling bling like @ Only Hsing made it as far as the the Ping-Pong Diplomacy relations Ariel Hsing of the United States competes at the London Olympics. between the US and China in the MichaelPhelps.” third round. between the US and China. sport and chose to retire in 2009, US 100m hurdler Lolo Jones “She’s gotten herself up to top level He played an exhibition with for- The daughter of Chinese immi- fornia, where a coach noticed she focusing on her club to promote the congratulating Michael Phelps and to do that at 16 (years old) means mer world and Olympic champion grants is expected to do what no had a talent for the sport. sport and develop new talent. she’s got the potential to be as good as Wang Liqin. American has done: win a table-ten- Hsing, who at 15 became the “I hope to develop more young @DeronWilliams anyone,” Gates said. “It was cool to be part of it,” he said. nis medal. youngest women’s national champion players to play in the , “Has anyone seen my shoe? I lost it in “I’ve known her for seven years, “It’s also an honor to help improve the She was impressive in her third- in US history in 2010, maintains close like Wu,” Gao said. “Th ese guys have the 3rd quarter.” and she was looking forward to get- exchange between the two countries, round match, forcing second-seeded ties to China, where she trained peri- descendants from China, and they US basketball player Deron ting into the Olympics, she was very both in sports and culture.” Li to 2-2 before losing. odically between the ages of 8 and 11. love this sport.” Williams lost one shoe in the third excited about that. His three female teammates have “It’s such a huge confi dence booster Erica Wu and chalked Table tennis’ status in China is quarter of the US’ second game, a 110-63 victory over Tunisia “Getting through to the third grown to be quite tightly knit, acting when I just let go and play the way I the trip up as a victory from the comparable to the NFL in the US. round and just continuing improv- like siblings as they navigate London should play,” she said. “It really shows moment they set foot in the Athletes’ Wu said more American kids are @WayneRooney ing — she’s great.” and the Games together. me I can compete with the world’s Village. becoming interested in the game. “Why is every news channel I’m Th ough they all grew up in the US, Th ey will start work in the women’s best. This is a really big stepping- “Playing the sport is fun. We feel “A lot of us are second-generation watching trying to fi nd faults with the players’ heroes are Chinese stars. team competition on Friday. stone. Th at is just great.” great just being here. We do not think Asian Americans who have had a lot everything at Olympics. Just enjoy it. I Even without a medal, the young Hsing is the eldest of the three Her parents both played table too much about our results. Just come of exposure to table tennis, so when think it’s been great.” team provides some hope the US 16-year-olds and has become the lead- tennis in China out, relax and enjoy the game,” said they come here, it’s one of the sports British soccer player Wayne might become a contender in the er aft er a series of strong performances They took her along to a local Zhang, who was eliminated in the on their mind that they might want Rooney not-too-distant future. in international competition. table tennis club in Palo Alto, Cali- fi rst round. us to try,” Wu said.