Reflections on China’s Quest for Olympic Gold

During the Olympic season last year, various magazines ran articles that revealed how desperate China was to top the gold medal count. The country viewed the goal as necessary to “save face” as a host and also to present its best to the world. From my experience in China, this is a common sentiment echoed not just by the leadership but more often by the masses, who are dying to return China to its days of glory as a world power. In other words, China is a teenage brat who’s looking to avenge wrongs and perceived slights wrought upon it years ago by bullies who have moved on to business suits and running the world. China’s main targets in this are the countrie who engaged in war, colonialism, and disrespect against it in the 20th century. Namely, this includes Japan, Europe, Taiwan, and the US. To right the wrongs, China will become dominant militarily and economically (but not culturally!) to avoid a repeat of the shameful conquests of yore.

Anyways, this resolve is seen in the way athletes are selected in their youth for training in Soviet-style camps. Academics and a social life are neglected to produce dominant individuals from a collective by culling the wheat from the chaft through rigourous competition. Well, the system, just like the Soviet space project, yielded impressive results, but also destroyed the lives of thousands of athletes. Is this acceptable to the leadership? Of course. For them, the good of the state trumps all. The masses are willing to go along as long as they hold the burning desire to repay past transgressions.

As for the athletes, most of them enjoy success but hate the amount of pressure put on them (and some of them wilted under the pressure). The greatest contrast can probably be seen from the following quote:

The contrast couldn’t be greater than between the Chinese and U.S. athletes. In their post-match interviews, the Americans rambled on about their parents, their siblings, their pets, their hobbies. They repeatedly used the word fun. Shawn Johnson, the 16-year-old gymnast, waxed enthusiastic about the classes she’ll take when she returns to her public high school in West Des Moines, Iowa.

The Chinese athletes generally don’t have pets or hobbies. Or brothers or sisters (since most are products of China’s one-child policy).