As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games commence on Friday, China is set to make a significant impact with a strong delegation of 405 athletes, including 42 Olympic gold medalists, competing in 236 events across 30 sports.
Among the standout athletes is Zheng Haohao, an 11-year-old skateboarder from Huizhou City in south China’s Guangdong Province. She is the youngest Chinese athlete to compete in the upcoming Games, having secured her spot in the women’s park skateboarding event during the Olympic Qualification Series held in Shanghai in May and Budapest in June.
“I feel pretty good, just to help realize my childhood dream, because when I was young, I wanted to take part in the Olympic Games,” Zheng told China Media Group after sealing her place in Budapest. Remarkably, Zheng has gone from being a newcomer to the sport to making her Olympic debut in just four years. “At the upcoming Olympics, I want to get in the top 16,” said Zheng, who will celebrate her 12th birthday on the closing day of the Paris Olympics.
The Chinese delegation features a mix of seasoned champions and fresh talent. Zhou Jinqiang, deputy director of China’s State General Administration of Sport, noted that the average age of the competitors is 25, with 223 athletes set to make their Olympic debut.
Defending women’s singles table tennis champion Sun Yingsha expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “I feel both excited and proud to be in this national team jersey.” Her teammate, Fan Zhendong, added, “After recent preparation, training and practice, I think I’m ready for the Olympic Games.”
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng will attend the opening ceremony and other events of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris on Friday as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Han’s presence underscores China’s support for the international Olympic movement and France’s hosting of the Games. China has consistently emphasized the importance of sports in promoting national health and fostering global solidarity.
China has the distinction of having hosted both the summer and winter editions of the Olympics in less than two decades, as well as three Asian Games. President Xi Jinping has frequently highlighted the role of sports in uniting nations and promoting well-being. “We should promote solidarity through sports, build up positive energy across the international community, join hands to tackle global challenges such as climate change, food crisis and terrorism, and shape a better future through cooperation,” President Xi said last July during the opening ceremony of the 31st Summer FISU World University Games in Chengdu.
In January 2022, while inspecting the preparatory work for the Beijing Winter Olympics, President Xi emphasized that the ultimate goal of building a sporting powerhouse and a healthy China is to enhance the public’s health, fitness, and happiness.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
