|
For China's diving team, nothing speaks louder of their "dream team" aura
than the results during the Athens Olympics.
China's Tian Liang
dives in a preliminary round of ten metre platform diving at the Athens
2004 Olympic Games August 27, 2004.
[Reuters] |
The traditional diving powerhouse, which won five gold medals at the Sydney
Olympic Games four years ago, justified it can still call itself the "Dream
Team" by winning six gold medals in Athens.
But for a stunning last diving blunder from Peng Bo and Wang Kenang in men's
synchronized springboard, which handed the gold to a Greek pair, China could
have swept an unprecedented 7 gold medals.
Chantelle Newbery of Australia staged a surprise win in the women's 10m
platform final when she beat two Chinese favorites Lao Lishi and Li Ting.
To a team that was under great pressure after a lacklustre performance at
last year's Barcelona World Championships, a marked improvement at Athens was
all but timely to help boost the team's confidence to fend off the growing
number of rivals.
At Barcelona the squad took only four titles, a shocking result that plunged
them into deep soul-searching.
The dilemma between demanding a higher degree of difficulty and maintaining
consistency of technique has hampered the team as foreign divers, with help from
overseas Chinese coaches, have frequently bettered China.
"I am so happy. I didn't expect we could be so successful at these Games
because there are a lot of strong opponents," said Chinese team leader Zhou
Jihong, women's platform winner at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics after the
Athens Olympics.
"Diving in other parts of the world is developing really fast and China can
no longer enjoy comfortable wins in competitions," Zhou said.
"We just accomplished a hard task and the outcome was surprisingly good. I am
proud of my athletes and thank the coaches for their hard work," she added.
Under-fire Zhou, did have reason to be relieved.
At the Athens World Cup in February, the most important test in the
international pool before the Athens Games, the star-studded squad garnered five
gold among the eight events and China finished first in the medal standings, but
it was still considered less than stellar for failing to avenge the big blow
they suffered last July in Barcelona.
Fortunately, China did not make any more mistakes at Athens.
"The fierce competition requires the divers not to make mistakes. Many
foreign athletes are able to handle very difficult dives well now and the one
who makes least mistake during the competition will be the winner," said Zhou.
Dazzling couple
Once again, China's glorious divers won nationwide cheers when they returned
from Athens.
Guo Jingjing of
China dives on her way to winning the gold medal in the 3 metre women's
springboard final at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 26, 2004.
[Reuters] |
Men's ace Tian Liang and women's leader Guo Jingjing, winning three gold
medals between them, made the headlines after spending three months on
red-carpet celebrations and numerous commercial promotions.
"After the Olympics, I will definitely leave the pool for some time," said
Tian before Athens. "No one can imagine what pressure I have been through these
many years, so I want to have some fun after the Games," said the three-time
Olympian.
"Then I will see whether I still want to be back," he said.
Tian Liang, the 25-year-old who won the men's synchronized platform title at
Athens but lost the singles event to teammate Hu Jia, did not see his popularity
slump thanks to his healthy and star-like image.
His shining smile has made him the favourite among fans and advertisers.
24-year-old Guo finally saw her Olympic dream come true by taking both titles
in the 3m springboard and synchronized dives, establishing herself as the new
queen of diving in the post Fu Mingxia era. Fu is a four-time Olympic champion.
With their fame, good looks and the rumors of romance between them, they
combined to popularize China's diving.
And the money followed.
Tian has been a pitchman for Amway and Bausch & Lomb since his victory in
Sydney while Guo, with her adorable good looks, won sponsorship deals with
fast-food chain McDonald's and Budweiser after she bagged two silver four years
ago.
The pair also took part in a TV commercial for a Chinese beverage company,
swiggling an energy drink.
Since then, the pair have been linked with a play on their names, "Liang
Jingjing," meaning "bright and shining."
And then more unexpected came.
The Nanjing Morning News reported that Tian was in talks with the Hong Kong
recording giant Emperor Entertainment Group as the diving prince looked ready to
throw himself into a performing career.
It was reported later the Hong Kong actress Carina Lau invited him to take
part in a movie.
Meanwhile Guo, pitching the cosmetic brand Red Earth based in Hong Kong,
seemed to develop a new romance with Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, the grandson of Hong
Kong business tycoon Henry Fok.
Eyes on 2008
But with 2008 Beijing Olympics four years later, there are concerns if the
pair will keep focused on their diving.
When the Chinese team called up the divers to winter training camp after two
months of rest in November, both Guo and Tian did not return on time.
But speculations disappeared until the two came back to train again three
month after Olympics.
"I am determined to carry on until the Beijing Olympics," said Guo. "The
future is unpredictable to me. I just want to give 100 per cent."
The pair showed up simultaneously in their respective local training sites in
Shaanxi and Hebei on December 1, a month later than their national teammates
did.
"Social activities made me more tired than training and I am fed up with
those made-up stories," said Guo.
"All I want to do now is to find my form again and I believe I will be in
good state soon," she said.
"I love the feeling standing on the springboard. I will do everything to keep
diving," she said.
Tian, more than 1,000 kilometres away, echoed Guo's view.
"I asked for a half-year leave but I find that I miss diving very much merely
three months away from the diving pool," he said.
"I thought I needed a rather long time to rest after 18 years of diving but
it turned out I want to keep on," he added.
|
