A Shot Across the Bow
Friday, 6th June 2008 ~ Maggie ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
Far from a traditional rowing power, China is shaking up the ranks in this sport. Improving its rowing team is an important of China's effort to top the medal standings at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, since the sport offers 14 gold medals.Behind the leadership of former Soviet coach Igor Grinko, China has gone from a team that won four Olympic medals between 1932 and 2004, to a serious threat at this year's games. At a World Cup regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, last weekend, China won five golds out of the 14 events, and took seven total medals home.
In this New York Times blog entry, Juliet Macur quotes Grinko addressing the belief commonly held among the Chinese themselves that the Chinese body is just not powerful enough to excel at certain sports: "Before, they were thinking that a Chinese man's body is not made for rowing, that the back wasn't strong enough. But now? They are strong and fit. Now they can see gold medals."
Also from the New York Times, this story takes a good long look at why and how China has built up its rowing program.
Tags: Igor Grinko, national team, Olympics, rowing