Original title: Looking at the Olympics from the Asian Games: Traditional Projects Lay the Foundation and Emerging Projects Have Potential
The recently concluded 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou served as a crucial stepping stone for the Chinese sports delegation as they prepare for next year’s Paris Olympics. The team achieved its objectives of training, testing the training level, discovering new talents, and accumulating competition experience, delivering satisfactory results. As the best touchstone before the Paris Olympics, the Chinese delegation gained confidence from the Hangzhou Asian Games while also identifying areas that require improvement. They aim to consolidate their traditional advantages, address shortcomings and weaknesses, and enhance their competitive level to be in prime condition for the ultimate “big test” at the Paris Olympics.
Out of the 201 gold medals secured by the Chinese sports delegation, 144 gold medals were obtained in Olympic sports, accounting for 72% of the total. The remaining 19 gold medals were spread across sports such as water polo, hockey, tennis, boxing, synchronized swimming, sailing, archery, and modern pentathlon. All of these events qualified for the Paris Olympics based on their performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Additionally, 13 swimming events and 1 track and field event met the qualifications for the Paris Olympics during the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
In traditional advantage events, the Chinese sports delegation showcased their dominance and continued their past success in major Olympic gold medal events such as diving, table tennis, badminton, and shooting. The Chinese diving team won gold medals in all 10 events at the Asian Games, maintaining their excellent performance. Chinese athletes took first and second place in six individual events, with the “fairy fight” between Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi in the women’s 10-meter platform final gaining recognition on the world stage. China’s diving “dream team” has emerged as a strong contender for gold medals at the Paris Olympics.
As a significant Olympic event for the Chinese team, the shooting team secured 16 out of the 33 gold medals across all events at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The team set new records in the men’s 10-meter air rifle individual, men’s 25-meter rapid-fire pistol team, and women’s multi-directional 3 positions team events. Out of the 15 Olympic shooting events, they achieved 10 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals.
What is particularly encouraging is the inclusion of a significant number of young players from the post-90s and post-00s generations in the Chinese shooting team for the Asian Games. This not only displayed their strength and momentum but also highlighted the vigor of youth. Among them, 19-year-old Sheng Lihao set a new world record, Asian record, and competition record in the men’s 10-meter air rifle individual event. Huang Yuting, 17, secured the gold medal in the women’s 10-meter air rifle individual event. The duo also won the gold medal in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event, further solidifying the Chinese team’s chances at the Paris Olympics.
Despite achieving remarkable success in swimming and track and field events at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Chinese team still has some ground to cover to reach the world‘s top level. While the team secured 28 gold medals in swimming events, attaining a record-high number of gold medals, their performance in these key events still lags behind the world leaders. Similarly, in track and field, although the team excelled in certain events, there is a substantial difference when compared to top-level international athletes or their own peak performances.
Moving forward, athletes such as Qin Haiyang and Zhang Yufei, who have showcased exceptional form through multiple competitions, will bear the responsibility of securing gold medals at the Paris Olympics. They are expected to deliver exceptional performances to bridge the gap between Chinese swimming and the world‘s best.
In conclusion, the Hangzhou Asian Games served as a valuable platform for the Chinese sports delegation to test their strengths, discover new talents, and gain confidence ahead of the Paris Olympics. The team’s dominance in traditional advantage events solidifies their chances of success, while the performance in swimming and track and field events highlights areas that require further improvement. Ultimately, the Chinese team aims to be in top form to face the ultimate challenge at the upcoming Paris Olympics.