China Sporting Icon

With the rise of Chinese economy more allocation to funding has been given to sporting association to breed the next generation atheletes of tomorow. With a few Chinese sporting star known worldwide it cannot be forgotten how significant they are for future Chinese sporting generation.

This is a simple collection of 3 well known sporting icons in China, and asking Sinodefence members which out of the 3 is the most influential in Chinese society. This grades reputation, publicity, sigificance, level of influence to younger generation, etc...

Here is the top 3 in the list:

a) Liu Xiang (110m Hurdle: Worlds fastest clocking 12.88secs)
b) Yao Ming (NBA: Represents Houston Rockets NBA tallest player and best blocker)
c) Wang Liqin (Arguably best forehand in game of mens Table Tennis history)

Take your pick guys...please participate in voting it will help my studies alot...

I've always wondered why the sports aren't appriciated in china in the same level as in other countries, most notably sosialistic countries. Given the population, one could imagine that chinese would be kicking ass in the same extent as USA or Russia. For example in athletics, yeas the current dominator from 110m hurdles comes from china but where are the rest? Even us fins have won more medals in olympics and world championship games at athletics than China...

...just weird

I heard that Mao frowned upon any sort of Western-type athleticism. So no sporting empire ever grew from his era. And China did not enter a team in the Olympics until 1984. Before communism China was pretty much occupied and in turmoil for 100 years. So that's why China doesn't have a large collection of medals through history. Can't win them if you're not there to participate.

China sporting sector is very much different to other countries. With Western society sport is form of relax and enjoyment, while most of China sporting is either none or professional. Now people in China are good in sport but do not want to go down the path of being a professinal athelete. So the dont....in other words their are alot of good atheletes in China but little is willing to commit.

But with China booming economy more funding and rewards to sporting people are given so now you can see China with some sporting heros in atheletics and swimming areana.

Sad to say this since im Chinese too, we are more concerned about earning money then playing sports

I would put Yao Ming as the most influential in China. Liu Xiang's win is a pleasant surprise in China, but basketball are much more popular in China. Yao's career will probably be longer than Liu's career, therefore Yao has more time to influence the next generation in China. They both got the same national coverage but Yao will probably have more international coverage and appeal due to his NBA career.

Autumn Child said:

I would put Yao Ming as the most influential in China. Liu Xiang's win is a pleasant surprise in China, but basketball are much more popular in China. Yao's career will probably be longer than Liu's career, therefore Yao has more time to influence the next generation in China. They both got the same national coverage but Yao will probably have more international coverage and appeal due to his NBA career.

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I don't know Yao doesn't really mean much to mean compared to Liu Xiang. If Yao wasn't 7'6 and was around 6'6-6'8 then that will impress me, his height contributed a lot to his fame, nothing special... :coffee:

Liu Xiang on the other hand beat out everyone in the world and has a world record, his height might have helped but he could still beat anyone 1vs1 in his race. On the other hand Yao Ming would get destroyed by Leborn James or Kobe Bryant if they went 1 vs 1.

I think Yao,because of the razzle dazzle of western sport appealing to the growing middle class with a taste of western culture.
Its funny how the chinese have taken to NBA and Western Club soccer eg/ Manchester United. I Think the Chinese psyche is more individualistic, and not team players,hence they excel insports where its just the individuals eg diving gymnastics, weight lifting , speed skating table tennis (yeah yeah i know theres doubles) The Japanese have a stronger team camarade

I Think the Chinese psyche is more individualistic, and not team players,hence they excel insports where its just the individuals eg diving gymnastics, weight lifting , speed skating table tennis (yeah yeah i know theres doubles) The Japanese have a stronger team camarade

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you are forgting that they did well in women's volleyball and the men's basketball team regularly beat Japanese team. The women soccer team is world class and the women field hockey team is tough. Team play requires more technique and strategy. China only rescently learn these team sports and they did well already in some of them. I don't think the Japanese comradeship transfer well to sports. By the way americans are more individualistic than any easy asians, yet they excell in many team sports. Your argument is invalid.

Autumn Child said:

you are forgting that they did well in women's volleyball and the men's basketball team regularly beat Japanese team. The women soccer team is world class and the women field hockey team is tough. Team play requires more technique and strategy. China only rescently learn these team sports and they did well already in some of them. I don't think the Japanese comradeship transfer well to sports. By the way americans are more individualistic than any easy asians, yet they excell in many team sports. Your argument is invalid.

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Beating Japan is nothing,on a world basis. Womens Basketball, Indoor Volleyball are regarded as very minor sports on the world basis.Womens soccer in world standing is in decline, mens has never got there.. Womens hockey tream Tough ?? theres about 8 teams that have beaten China consistently.World class is one thing being world champions like in table tennis is another. and being able to totally dominate the sport,You might not have heard of a game called cricket. Its very big in Australia, England South Africa,West Indies, NZ. India Pakistan,Sri Lanka,The Big names in this game get $1million US dollars for 20/20 cricket which is one version of the game and the playing season is only 44days.Australia dominate the sport like China dominate Table tennis, but the other teams are regarded as World Class.
Chinas men soccer team is pathetic.and China has a world reputation for being drug cheats like the East Germans were, so any success is viewed very suspiciously by the rest of the world.Areas were they have been consistently caught are in atheletics,swimming, and we all know about weight lifting, that sport has always had a tarnished reputation. This stigma will stick with China for a long time,and any sport that China does well in like Track and field , swimming, will be regarded as being very suspicious.The fact that they dont prove positive to drug tests only means they have very good chemists that can mask it.Chinas swimming and rowing success will always be regarded suspciously because they cant reproduce the result in the mens.and u cant say it wasnt for trying.Most countries have genuinely good women and mens swimming teams,eg. USA, Australia,even Japan has had more sucessful men swimmers

Autumn Child said:

you are forgting that they did well in women's volleyball and the men's basketball team regularly beat Japanese team. The women soccer team is world class and the women field hockey team is tough. Team play requires more technique and strategy. China only rescently learn these team sports and they did well already in some of them. I don't think the Japanese comradeship transfer well to sports. By the way americans are more individualistic than any easy asians, yet they excell in many team sports. Your argument is invalid.

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America has professional sport.and the team sports are the really big earners. In the USA NBA NFA Baseball are the big 3, and the only ones that count. Thos payers earn Tens of millions yearly: Who wouldnt play a team sport, to say table tennis where u might earn in a year what those NBA NFA Baseball players earn in a day. Sport in america is a way to riches for the poor. UNtil recently and there are very few black Americans who gravitate towards indivdualistic sport, like tennis and golf, which provide a very good living