The Chinese delegation enters the stadium for the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photos on this page: IC
Editor’s note:
2024 has been an important year for sports in China. On the world stage, Chinese athletes performed well at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning a total of 91 medals, including 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze. It was the highest result. But the struggles of the country’s major sports – soccer, basketball and volleyball – highlight the need for continued improvement. Global Times reporter Lu Wenao looks back on a pivotal year for Chinese sports.
China’s sports authority, the General Administration of Sports (GAS), released the 2024 performance report for Chinese athletes on Thursday. According to the report, Chinese athletes have won 194 world championships in 33 events, setting an all-time record. Breaking 19 world records. Among them are 84 Olympic champions and 110 non-Olympic champions.
Two soccer players participated in China’s first national youth soccer, basketball and volleyball tournament.
Olympic glory
At the prestigious Olympics, China dominated in traditional strongholds such as table tennis and diving, sweeping the gold medals in both events. The shooting team set a new benchmark with the best performance in Olympic history, while the weightlifting team won five gold medals from six athletes.
Beyond these established powers, young athletes have emerged as pioneers of China’s Olympic success.
China’s 20-year-old Pan Zhanle’s new world record in the men’s 100m freestyle has excited Chinese swimming fans. His contribution to the men’s mixed 4×100 meter relay team, in addition to breaking 40 years of American rule, excited Chinese swimming fans. Discipline.
More importantly, 22-year-old Zheng Qinwen’s historic victory in the women’s tennis singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics culminated in a historic victory that ignited new hopes for the growth of the sport in China. That’s what happened.
Additionally, China won its first Olympic gold medals in artistic swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, and women’s boxing. The Olympic stage debut of Chinese freestyle BMX riders capped off with a stunning victory for 19-year-old Deng Yawen in BMX freestyle, highlighting China’s growing versatility in a sport traditionally dominated by other countries. Showed.
Cao Yaqi, deputy editor of Titan Sports, told the Global Times that China’s Olympic achievement in bringing the gold medal to the United States not only represents tradition, but also the result of China’s careful planning. . “Consistent performance execution by sports organizations and athletes is important. These represent the strength of our fundamental sports programs on the world stage,” Cao told the Global Times.
Growing enthusiasm for sports
The 2024 Paris Olympics has sparked an unprecedented wave of enthusiasm across China.
The popularity of tennis has increased dramatically with the success of Chinese athletes, especially Zheng’s Olympic gold medal. Attendance and revenue for major tournaments such as the China Open, Shanghai Masters, and Wuhan Open hit record highs.
Meanwhile, the World Table Tennis China Smash held in Beijing drew around 70,000 visitors to Shougang Park every day, highlighting the enduring appeal of table tennis in China.
“The ripple effects of Olympic success in racket sports extend beyond winning medals,” Beijing-based sports commentator Zhang Bin told the Global Times.
“Packed stadiums for domestic tennis and table tennis events will also lead to increased consumption, including tourism and equipment purchases.”
This year, Chinese winter sports athletes are also preparing for the home Asian Winter Games, which will be held in February 2025 in Harbin, northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province.
Thirty-five domestic delegations participated in the National Winter Games held in February 2024, of which 17 were first-time participants, further deepening the depth of China’s representation in winter sports.
Winter sports athletes have also won several gold medals in international competitions, including a short track team that won four gold medals in World Tour competition.
In another notable professional sport, Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu was seen driving an F1 car at the Chinese Grand Prix on April 21 at a packed Shanghai International Circuit. This will be the first time in 20 years that a Chinese driver will drive an F1 car since F1 was held in Shanghai. In 2004.
Grassroots sports have also become popular. Events such as village football, village basketball, and village volleyball games are widely held across the country, while public enthusiasm for marathons has also returned, with many runners incorporating travel into their race plans and combining fitness and tourism. .
Challenges in major ball games
Despite this success, the three major ball sports continued to face challenges: soccer, basketball, and volleyball.
The men’s soccer team had been inconsistent since this year’s Asian Cup until the recent World Cup Asian Qualifier match, but they secured two wins and delivered a performance that drew acclaim in a 3-1 loss at home to an Asian team. By doing so, he showed rare growth. Top Team Japan.
Although the men’s basketball team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the second consecutive year, the women’s basketball team showed a performance worthy of praise. The women’s volleyball team, long a symbol of national pride, failed to reach the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics.
The root causes of these struggles are multifaceted and include talent pipelines, coaching standards and governance, sports commentators say.
Recognizing the urgency of reform and nurturing future talent, China’s sports authority GAS has launched the first national youth competitions in soccer, basketball and volleyball in 2024.
GAS head Ko Shidan emphasized the strategic importance of revitalizing the three major ball games at the National Sports Directors’ Meeting on December 24th.
“The revitalization of soccer, basketball and volleyball is not only about achieving success in sports, but also enhancing China’s international image and advancing broader sports reform,” he said.
