CHINA DAILY AUGUST 17, 2011 • PAGE 5 CYCLING & WEIGHTLIFTING Gong leaves superstar in the shade CHINA’S COACH SAYS DEFEATED GUO WILL SHINE IN THE SPRINT AFTER DISAPPOINTING TIME TRIAL By TANG YUE sights on competing in the event CHINA DAILY in London. “Of course, we want a gold in SHENZHEN — For a long time, London. Th ere is a year to go untill Olympic medalist Guo Shuang has the Olympics and I feel time is run- been arguably the only recognized ning faster and faster now. Th ere is cyclist in the country. not really much time left for us,” But now Gong Jinjie is riding she said. out of her star “I’ve already qualified for the teammate’s shad- Games. So I won’t race too much ow aft er a record- in the coming year but will bal- breaking victory in ance competition, rest and train- the women’s 500m ing. Hopefully I can reach my peak CYCLING time trial at the in London.” Universiade. Lyubov Shulika of Ukraine won The 24-year-old won the first the silver medal and improved her cycling gold for the host and the personal best time with a ride of eighth in total, while hot favorite 34.985 sec. Guo fi nished fourth. Gong’s time “The silver medal was really of 34.91 sec broke the Universiade beyond my expectations. My best record held by Guo. achievement before Shenzhen was “It was good that I could win the a bronze medal at the European race today. It was really tough and Championships. And my perfor- the temperature was high,” Gong mance here was better than that said after the race at Longgang time,” Shulika said. Velodrome yesterday. “I think the Universiade is just The team’s head coach, Dan- like a small Olympics. Th is is the iel Morelon, also spoke highly of biggest tournament I’ve ever par- Gong’s performance. ticipated in. So I’m really excited “I’m not surprised that Gong to win a medal here.” won today. Her time was very Victoria Baranova of Russia was good, especially when you con- also more than happy with her sider the heat and the fact the track bronze medal and said edging out was not very fast,” said the French- Guo gave her extra satisfaction. man, who started coaching the “I didn’t expect to ride faster team in 2007. than Guo. Th at is really a surprise However Gong, the two-time for me,” she said. “I will be very World Cup runner-up did not happy to go home with a medal.” appear excited about the victory However, Morelon said there as the 500m time trial is not an was no need to worry about Guo, Olympic event. the bronze medalist at the Beijing She is more eager to win the Olympics. team sprint, in which she teamed “It’s not her specialty. So I’m not up with Lin Junhong to claim surprised she didn’t get a medal. the title at this year’s World Cup She has a better chance of winning LI GA / XINHUA in Beijing. She has already set her the sprint.” China’s Gong Jinjie showed her immense ability by winning the women’s 500m time trial yesterday in Shenzhen. Emotions fl ow after Chinese Taipei’s fi rst gold By TANG YUE ing events. My dear teammates, I be a natural — except for the nasty mood lasted for quite a while,” CHINA DAILY believe we can make it. bouts of nerves she suff ers when it Huang said. “But I didn’t push her “My biggest weak- comes time to compete. to train and just talked to her. SHENZHEN — Big girls do cry. ness is always my At last year’s Guangzhou Asian “She then regained confi dence Ho Hsiao-chun does, anyway. mindset in the com- Games, she was expected to win little by little and improved a lot Th e 24-year-old burst into tears petition. I tried very a medal, but fi nished ninth with a in training. I believe the gold aft er claiming the title in the 63kg hard to build myself performance well below the level medal this time will make her a weightlift ing class on Tuesday, the up psychologically, she was training at. much stronger weightlift er in the fi rst gold medal for Chinese Taipei WEIGHT- and it paid off .” Th us the victory in Shenzhen future.” at this Universiade. LIFTING Ho lift ed a total of doesn’t just give her a medal — Now a confi dent Ho is eyeing a “I’m really very excited to win 211kg at the Com- it should also help her mental medal in London. the fi rst gold for Chinese Taipei,” plex Training Hall of Shenzhen conditioning, said coach Huang “A ft er the Universiade, I have sol- GAO ERQIANG / CHINA DAILY an emotional Ho said. “I hope Sport School. Da-de. id faith in my strength. Next year is Ho Hsiao-chun heaves to win the it will encourage other athletes Picking up a barbell for the fi rst “She was really very upset aft er the Olympic Games and my goal is women’s 63kg title. from Chinese Taipei in the com- time at the age of 14, Ho proved to the Asian Games and the sad to stand on the podium,” she said..