10 coverstory MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012 CHINA DAILY ZHANG JUN / XINHUA From left to right: Zhou Yan (curling), Zhong Hongyan (canoeing), Gong Ruina (badminton) and Han Xiaopeng (skiing), in discussion with their teacher during an English class at the University of Wisconsin in the US. They were among 16 medal-winning athletes from 2008 Olympic Games, taking part in the university’s 10-month-long “China Champions” program. Athletes feel English gives them inside track Communication is vital for sports stars with global ambitions, report Yu Yilei and Peng Yining in Beijing and Sailing has never Sun Xiaochen in London. been that popu- lar in China. I’ve ft er winning the Laser In 2012, 61 athletes passed ‘‘ Radial gold medal at the Trinity examination, with learned most of the London Games, 17 of them earning an “A” grade, my skills and got A Xu Lijia, 24, gave an according to the CAEF. In addi- most of my infor- interview to the BBC in Eng- tion to the program, Li said the lish. She thanked people for their national sports teams regularly mation through support in a fl uent and confi dent use English in their training ses- English. I wouldn’t manner. “I gave my best for the sions and daily lives. have won without world and my country, China.” A whiteboard with the slogan learning the lan- Xu is no stranger to success “New Words for Today” hangs in having won bronze at the Bei- the lobby of the dormitory used guage. It wouldn’t Xu Lijia jing Games in 2008. Nor is she a by China’s yachting and sailing be an exaggera- stranger to the English language athletes. With words such as they will change their minds,” tion to say that and she is a leading fi gure among “Upwind”, “Downwind”, “Star- said Li in English aft er winning language learning A life on Chinese athletes eager to learn board”, “Port”, the board helps the French Open championship the world’s most widely spoken the competitors to learn sporting in 2011 and becoming Asia’s fi rst has marked every language. terms as well as commonplace Grand Slam champion. progression in my the ocean “Sailing has never been that expressions. As international brands chase career.” popular in China. I’ve learned Meanwhile, the Chinese the Chinese market, sports stars most of my skills and got most national table tennis team has capable of boasting an inter- XU LIJIA wave GOLD MEDALIST IN THE LASER of my information through Eng- paper tapes bearing English national image are in a seller’s RADIAL CLASS AT THE 2012 lish,” Xu said. “I wouldn’t have phrases pasted in its players’ dor- market. LONDON GAMES won without learning the lan- mitories, canteen and training “She (Li Na) speaks English, By PENG YINING guage. It wouldn’t be an exag- area. Th e tapes employ the sort of PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY she has a great personality, and pengyining@chinadaily. geration to say that language sentences and phrases frequently Top: Li Na being interviewed during the 2011 Rogers Cup in she’s a champion in a sport that com.cn learning has marked every pro- used in interviews, such as “It’s Montreal, Canada. Above: Huang Xuechen (left) and Liu Ou on China has traditionally not It’s not just about gression in my career.” the best day of my life” or “I enjoy the podium after winning bronze in the synchronised swimming dominated. And with (basket- talking fl uently in Xu Lijia started her sport- Reading in English has become table tennis.” competition at the 2012 Olympic Games. ball star) Yao Ming retiring, that ing life as a swimmer at age part of a daily routine for Xu, who “It’s not just about talking fl u- leaves a big hole,” commented front of the cam- 6, but switched to sailing was born and raised in Shanghai. ently in front of the cameras,” reciting material. After eight Outside sports Terry Rhoads, former head of eras. Sometimes four years later. In her backpack there is always said Li. “Sometimes your English years, she has memorized all Highly developed language sports marketing at Nike, in an your English skills “It was fascinating when I room for an English-language skills can even aff ect the result of four volumes of New Concept skills can also provide a brighter interview with the British news- was fi rst introduced to sail- novel, perhaps a best-selling the race.” English, one of the most popu- future for athletes when they paper, Th e Daily Telegraph. “She can even aff ect ing. It was so much fun sail- self-help book. She is currently Two interpreters accompanied lar English-language textbooks retire, said Huang Xuechen, who is also a great ambassador, very the result of the ing on the ocean, compared reading Close to the Wind, the China’s yachting and sailing team in China, which includes more won bronze and silver medals pleasant and very interesting. race.” with swimming back and autobiography of British Olympic to London, but Li said the athletes than 200 essays and extracts from in the synchronized swimming Th at has a positive eff ect on the forth in a small pool,” she sailor Ben Ainslie, with marks had to depend on their own lan- classic English literature. “Some- events at the London Games. way that people see China and LI QUANHAI said. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE and notes on almost every page. guage skills most of the time. In times, I recited so much that my “My life is not just about makes Chinese people feel very CHINA AQUATIC SPORTS After winning several Tellingly, the sentence, “When every international match, the throat was sore,” she said. swimming. I am going to retire proud.” ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER world championships, I am racing, I commit my all, weather reports and other essen- Aft er winning the gold med- someday, and by then, my Eng- The legendary table ten- in 2002 she was forced to body and soul, and nothing else tial race information are in Eng- al in London, Xu used English lish skills might help me fi nd a nis player, Deng Yaping, who take six months away from matters,” is highlighted in Xu’s lish. Once offshore, the sailors during an interview with China new job or apply for a college won six world championships My life is not just the sport after surgery to copy of the book. have to communicate with the Central Television as she narrated overseas,” said Huang. and four Olympic gold medals, about swimming. I remove a tumor on her “As more and more Chinese judges and rival competitors in a video of herself approaching She admitted that she is still began learning English in 1997 left thighbone. The hiatus athletes display their talents over- English. the fi nishing line in the Olympic working on her English, but is at the ripe old age of 24. In Mos- am going to retire made her realize how much seas, the enthusiasm for learn- “If you are on a convergent fi nal. “Now let’s take a close look able to conduct basic interviews cow in 2001, she made the fi nal someday, and by she loves sailing. “During ing English has grown in China’s course with another boat, you at how Lijia is steering her boat with the foreign media. In addi- presentation for Beijing’s bid then, my English the break, I found myself sporting centers,” said Li Quan- need to hail loudly to make clear and surfi ng the wave,” she said to tion to taking advantage of the for the 2008 Olympic Games in skills might help missing sailing every day. hai, deputy director of the China your understanding of the situ- the camera, without recourse to English-learning programs pro- English, and took a lead role in I can’t live without it,” she Aquatic Sports Administrative ation and your intentions. Just a teleprompter or other aids. She vided by the General Admin- winning the bid. me fi nd a new job said. “I love being free on Center. “We encourage athletes to as important, you may need to was later interviewed by CCTV’s istration of Sport, she has been Subsequently, Deng received or apply for a col- the ocean.” learn English and provide as many defend yourself at race hearings, English-language channel and teaching herself by surfi ng Eng- a master’s degree from the Uni- lege overseas.” The recovery period opportunities to learn as we can.” where a rival competitor may be the foreign media. lish-language websites. versity of Nottingham in 2002 gave Xu extra time to learn Since 2004, more than 1,000 protesting at your actions. An “Reporters love her,” said Li. “After training and practice and a PhD from the University HUANG XUECHEN English. “Once I decided to WHO WON BRONZE AND athletes from 29 national and pro- inadequate command of Eng- “She is one of the few Chinese every day, learning English is of Cambridge in 2008. SILVER MEDALS IN THE dedicate my life to sailing, vincial teams across the sporting lish may mean that you don’t put athletes able to freely express actually a good way to relax,” She talked about learning the SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING learning English was the board — including the Olympic your case forward eff ectively and themselves in English. Th rough she said. language in a speech delivered in EVENTS AT THE LONDON fi rst thing I needed to do,” gold medal-winning gymnast Li could result in you losing points English, Xu has learned a lot Xu’s language skills have also English at Tsinghua University GAMES she said.