Achievement
“Truly Exceptional” is the term IOC [1] honored the 2008 Beijing Olympics [2]. At the time that Chinese people strived to impress the world with grandiose stadiums, seamless organization and the best service ever provided, the Chinese athletes didn’t disappoint the host nation with 51 gold medals, topping the table for its first time. Only 10 medals fewer than U.S, China seconds by the total medals won.
Thinking back the 1932 Los Angels Olympics [3] when only 1 athlete from China made his appearance with no gain, no one could deny this is a historic achievement.
China maintained advantages on sports such as gymnastic, badminton, diving and Ping-pong, but also achieved ground-breaking victories on rowing, gymnastics trampoline, and fencing etc.
Questions
However, with the farewell fireworks dying down and life back to normal, more and more people begin to question whether the result could suggest China is indeed a great power in sports.
On portal website 163.com [4], an online voting [5] was conducted on the topic “Is China a great power in sports?” 4730 Yes vs. 17030 No more or less proves a large part of people still thought China has a long way to go.
China’s weakness on worldwide popular sports like football and basketball is clear. We also fell behind both on tracks and swimming pool, the merely 2 bronzes got on track and field are more than embarrassing. Liu Xiang’s withdrawal from 110-metre hurdle race extinguished the last hope for a gold medal for Chinese in the spectacular National Stadium (Bird Nest) [6].
An internet user [5](网易中国网友) commented on 163.com that:
各种奥林匹克比赛，奥林匹克考试中国都行但看看，得到的金牌的含金量，举重8块，试问，世界上有几个国家开展？中国有个人玩这个项目呢？最最起码的常见的体育项目田径、游泳成绩惨不忍睹，世界都玩的中国有几个强的？
Look at the true value of the gold medals we won. How many countries in the world play weight-lifting, on which we totally grabbed 8 gold medals? How many Chinese people are actually practicing weight-lifting? On the other hand, for the most basic and common sports like tracks and swimming, we have poorly performed. Have we really excelled on any game the whole world play?
In an opinion [7] (网易特评) written directly by 163.com, the author questioned that though China won a gold medal on rowing, the playing of the game is in fact uneasy to see in daily life of Chinese.
在中国的湖面、河道上几乎看不到赛艇的踪迹，很多人甚至连赛艇是什么都不知道，但是在欧美国家，赛艇的普及程度超乎中国人的想象。在那里，公开水域、宽广的河面常常点缀着各色赛艇
On the lakes and rivers in China, rowing boats are hard to find. Many people don’t even know what it is. But in western countries, it is far more popular than Chinese could imagine. There in public waters and broad rivers a great many kinds of rowing boats scattered around.
However, another side of opinions thinks quite the other way.
Internet user from Zhongshan, Guangdong (网易广东中山网友) said:
有 人说我们田径不行，所以我们不是强国！那牙买加一定是强国，因为他们田径厉害。有人说我们足球不行，所以我们不是强国！那巴西一定是强国，因为他们足球厉 害。也有人说我们篮球不行，所以我们不是强国！那立陶宛一定是强国，因为他们篮球厉害！可是如果你说牙买加、巴西、立陶宛是体育强国的时候，估计人家会把 你当作疯子。我们就是强国，完全没有必要妄自菲薄！那些说自己不是强国是人，要么是别有居心，要么是自卑的民族自尊心在作怪，是对自己民族的一份不自信！
Some says we played poor on tracks so that we are not a great power in sports! Then Jamaica must be a great power because they are dazzling on the track. Some says we played poor on football so we are not a great power. Then Brazil should be a great power. And Lithuania is also a great power for its basketball. But consider that if you assert Jamaica, Brazil and Lithuania are all great powers on sports, I bet people would think you a mad man.
We are exactly a super power in sports, and we need not humiliate ourselves! For those denying our status are either with a covert intention or a self-contemptuous mind, in-confident on our nation.
石头儿 [8]said:
我竟然在新华网上看到—— 一个世界上最荒唐的命题——-“金牌第一”不等于体育强国！ 为什么当美国金牌数第一的时候说美国是体育强国？
In xinhua.net, I saw a most ridiculous proposition in this world—- No. 1 on gold medal doesn’t mean a great power in sports. Then why should we call U.S a great power when they topped the table?
Though defenders’ comments are inspiring, questioners refused to give up any ground. They further called in question that the number of gold medals implies a great investment on professional athletes training, but don’t necessarily mean adequate support for populace health and sports, namely enough stadiums, spaces, infrastructures built for common people.
The comment by 163.com aforementioned also states:
中国现在的体育场地有85万多个，体育场地面积达13.2亿平方米，仅从数量上看已具有一定规模，但是相对于多达13亿人口而言，每万人仅拥有6.58个体育场地，人均体育场地面积权1平方米多(wiki)一点，与同时期的发达国家平均每万人拥有200多个体育场地的状况比起来，这可是30多的倍的差距。
据2005年有关部门对全国10多万名学生的调查表明，2/3(66%)的学生每天锻炼时间不足1小时，近1/4(24.8%)的学生每天基本不锻炼。
There are now 850,000 sporting venues in China, 1.32 billion m2 in area. It’s notable by quantity, but to the 1.3-billion population, it just means 6.58 venues for 10000 people and not much more than 1 m2 per person. It’s a 30-time margin to the developed countries where 200 venues were shared by 10000. According to a national-wide survey of 100,000 Chinese students, 66% exercised less than 1 hour every day and 24.8% basically do no exercise.
Internet user from Fuzhou (网易福建福州网友) said：
看看农村中小学的体育现状吧,很可悲,体育器材不全,领导重视不够,我做为一名农村教育工作者是最清楚的，我学校有6年没开运动会了
Look at the pessimistic status in quo of sports in villages. Equipments are incomplete, while the officials paid no attention. I am so clear with this as a rural teacher. In my school, sports meeting is not open for 6 years.
Internet user from Heilongjiang(易黑龙江绥化网友) said：
看看我们小学生的近视眼占都多少，就知道了
You’ll realize the truth when seeing so many grade-schoolers are wearing myopia glasses.
Internet user from Nanjing (网易江苏南京网友) said：
金牌获得多，只能说明是比赛强国。因为中国13亿人口，选拔参加奥运比赛选手还是比较占优势的。而且，运动员因为训练比赛而失去健康，其实不是一件好事，因为那已经不是运动爱好者，更不是为了健康而运动了。
A great haul of gold medals means nothing but that China is a super power in COMPETITION. It’s not hard to choose from 1.3 billion people the best to attend the Games. Furthermore, it’s not a pleasing thing for those who lost their health in training, as they are no long practicing for joy and health, but only for competition.
Comparation
So is U.S a super power in sports?
Holding that China is far from a super power in sports, most people unconsciously took U.S as an idol, for both its balance on gold, silver and bronze haul, also its populace participation in sports.
But the “idol” is quickly broken in ridicules.
In Tianya [9], 鎏金岁月 said:
那些说美国全民体育的人估计没几个真正到过美国的,
一到美国你就会发现原来真正的美国人和好莱坞大片中的美国人不太一样,
美国人的肥胖率是全球最高的,都是让垃圾食品害的,
要是全民体育,人人都是体育迷,每天抽一两个小时出来锻炼身体会有这么高的肥胖率?
I guess those suggesting a mass participation in sports in U.S have not really been in U.S. Once you are there you’ll find Americans much different from that depicted in Hollywood films. U.S is one of the fattest nation in the world due to their trash food. If it was really a sporting country full of sport fans, would it be possible for such an obesity rate?