Overseas Aces Making Their Mark Chinese-Born Talents Helping Their Adopted Home Countries Raise Their Game at Tokyo Olympic Games
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20 | Tuesday, July 27, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS OLYMPICS Liu Jia (left), who learned her table tennis skills as a child in Beijing, is representing Austria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, while Nanjing native Qi Xuefei is playing for France in the badminton competition. AFP / REUTERS Overseas aces making their mark Chinese-born talents helping their adopted home countries raise their game at Tokyo Olympic Games By SUN XIAOCHEN matchup from the Chinese National If I’d stayed in China, I approaches her 60s. pic badminton and diving events. [email protected] Games, with players from both sides “I can’t really stop as they (the Five of Australia’s 472-athlete del- able to speak Mandarin. might probably never Luxembourg table tennis federa- egation were born in China before Born in China but competing Two women’s singles matches on have the chance to compete tion) came back again and again moving Down Under to seek bright- under a different flag, a group of Tuesday will also feature two Chi- asking me to play,” said Ni after los- er career opportunities. emigrants has navigated through nese stars, top-ranked Chen Meng at the Olympics because ing 3-4 to teenager Shin. Among them, the diving combo of athletic and cultural challenges to and third-ranked Sun Yingsha, there are way too many “I feel responsible for Luxem- Esther Qin and Li Shixin have realize their Olympic dreams. squaring off against two foreign bourg as a daughter-in-law of this emerged as serious contenders in In the era of globalization, the opponents with Chinese connec- talents in the sport in China.” country,” added Ni, who married her their respective events. Qin is going Olympic Games is never short of tions — Canada’s Zhang and Yang Han Ying, former Chinese player now representing Germany coach, Tommy Danielsson, after set- for a medal in the women’s 3m intriguing encounters between ath- Xiaoxin of Monaco, respectively — in the table tennis competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games tling down in the European country springboard, while Li, a former Chi- letes born in the same country yet at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. in 1991. nese national team member, is bid- representing different national Although rarely standing a Following in their footsteps, a ding to continue his international delegations — a reality that Team chance of advancing past their all- She moved overseas in 2002 in regional sports schools and provin- younger generation of Chinese tal- success with the Aussies. China has confronted quite often in conquering rivals from their native search of better career opportuni- cial training centers across the ents, such as Liu Jia, have embraced Born in Guangdong province, Li, its traditionally strong sports, such country, the Chinese-born paddlers ties, and rekindled her career goal of country. the task of challenging the sporting 33, shot to prominence on the inter- as table tennis, badminton and still have plenty of incentive to com- competing at world championships However, the fierce competition supremacy of their ancestral home, national stage after winning the diving. pete with their adopted national and Olympic Games after being for spots in the national team has while enjoying the boon of a pro- men’s 1m springboard at the 2011 With these sports often produc- programs. granted German citizenship in forced some quality athletes nearing longed career representing a coun- world championships representing ing way more talent than China’s “If I’d stayed in China, I might 2010. or exceeding the age of 30 to emi- try with a thin talent pool. his country of birth. The tough com- national programs actually need, probably never have the chance to “As a player good at chopping, I grate, particularly to Europe during After moving to Austria in 1997, petition within China’s diving some of those surplus athletes have compete at the Olympics because did some trials for the Chinese the 1990s. Liu stole the limelight at the 2001 “dream team” forced him to retire found that their skills and abilities there are way too many talents in national program when I was on The oldest table tennis player at world championships by eliminat- temporarily in 2014. Yet, he can benefit their adopted countries. the sport in China,” German wom- Liaoning’s provincial team. But they the Tokyo Games — Ni Xialian, 58, ing China’s Yang Ying in the wom- returned to the sport in 2017 and In table tennis alone, as many as en’s player Han Ying said on Mon- had too many choppers already so I who represents Luxembourg — was en’s singles third round. started to compete for Australia in 17 players born and introduced to day in Tokyo before facing never really stood a chance,” said among the first generation of elite- Liu, who started playing table ten- 2019 as a naturalized diver. the sport in China have qualified for Australian veteran Hong Jianfang, Han, who at the Rio Games helped level Chinese players who became nis in Beijing at 11 years old, was “There are some positive and the men’s and women’s singles tour- who was also born in China, in the Germany win its first Olympic wom- naturalized citizens of European chosen as Austria’s flag-bearer for some negative reactions to my deci- naments at the ongoing Tokyo third round of the singles. en’s table tennis medal — in the nations. The Chinese media dubbed the Rio Olympics opening ceremo- sion,” Li, an Olympic debutant in Games, not including those Born in Liaoning province to team event. them “the foreign legion”. ny. The 39-year-old left-hander is Tokyo, wrote on Weibo. “I don’t representing Hong Kong and table tennis-loving parents, Han Ni, who ended her fifth Olympic appearing at her sixth straight expect everyone to understand me, Chinese Taipei. developed a competitive chopping Talent surplus journey on Sunday after losing to Olympics in Tokyo since first repre- but every individual has the right to Saturday’s mixed doubles last-16 style of play in the 1990s on her pro- As a world power in sports like South Korea’s Shin Yu-bin in the sec- senting Austria at the 2000 Sydney choose the way he or she wants to match featuring Chinese pair Xu vincial team, but at tryouts for the table tennis, badminton and diving, ond round, said that the emotional Games. go. However, many thanks for those Xin and Liu Shiwen against Canadi- national program realized she China is never short of talent thanks connection she has with her In addition to table tennis, Chi- who support me, and hopefully an team Wang Zhen and Zhang Mo didn’t have what it takes to succeed to its rigorous State-funded sports adopted home has driven her to nese names can also be found on those who criticized me will contin- could have been mistaken for a at the very highest level. program that drafts players from continue competing as she several countries’ rosters for Olym- ue to pay attention to the sport.” From left: Ni Xialian of Luxembourg and Slovakia’s Yang Wang are among a large number of former Chinese table tennis players who are representing other countries at the Tokyo Olympics. Basketball player Tenketsu Harimoto, previously known as Zhang Tianjie before he was naturalized by Japan, is expected to play a big role for the host in the men’s hoops competition. Australian diver Esther Qin was trained in Beijing before moving Down Under, while her countryman Li Shixin helped China win world titles in 1-meter springboard in 2011 and 2013. The head coach of Mexico’s diving team, Ma Jin, moved to the country in 2003 and has since significantly raised the standard of the squad. AFP Zhang swims and smiles her way into nation’s hearts By SHI FUTIAN tried my best.” Zhang really has a great mentality,” will never give up.” all OK and that it didn’t hurt at all,” [email protected] Australia’s Emma McKeon took read a People’s Daily commentary. Among the tens of millions of her her mother recalled. bronze (55.72) just ahead of Ameri- Social media’s comments sections fans back home are Zhang’s mother “I was nervous at first today, but Zhang Yufei may have missed out can Torri Huske (55.73), with all the were full of praise for Zhang, who and childhood coaches, who now I’m just excited and happy. I’m on gold at the Tokyo Olympics on top four dipping below 56 seconds. will also compete in 200m butterfly watched the action on TV. very happy with her performance Monday but the ebullient 23-year- Zhang’s silver is China’s first med- and 50m freestyle in Tokyo. “Yufei’s training and physical con- today. She has presented the best old certainly won the nation’s al in the Tokyo Olympics swimming “I feel I won over myself today. I dition are very good, and I think she version of herself. Despite missing hearts. pool, with the news rocketing to the actually felt a burden today as I real- is stronger in every aspect than she the gold, I’m still very proud of her. I With her confident smile and top of the trending topics charts on ly want to pocket the gold. I was was at the 2016 Rio Olympics,” mom hope she can keep being the best of bubbly personality, Zhang became several Chinese social media plat- really excited this morning when I Zhang Min told media on Monday.