China Sporting Icon

Well, since China has such a large population and relatively poor economy, the popular sports are those rely little on facility and area. Such as table tennis. As a Chinese I can guarantee that the table tennis is the most popular sport in China in the sense that so many people constantly play it. And you all can see China's achievement on that.

AssassinsMace said:

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.

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This is not true. It was not because China didn't want to play worldwide, but because China was rejected to do so. PRC was accepted by Olympic Association in 1979 and boycotted the 1980 Moscow game. That's why China first participated in Olympic games in 1984. On that game, China won 15 gold medals, not bad I should say.

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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Chinese women soccer team WAS world class, but not anymore...

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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As for the contribution on the popularity of basket ball in China, Micheal Jordan was far greater than Yao Ming. Because China started to broadcast NBA in 1990.

szbd said:

Chinese women soccer team WAS world class, but not anymore...

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Womens soccer is only strong regionally on a world wide basis its nothing. Even in America womens soccer who were world champions, the game attracts very little interest.

Also its one thing to be in the top group of a sport, but its harder to be in the top 3 and harder to be World Champion.

In sports like basketball hockey and soccer, the Chinese team have to learn to play aggressively.Its a known fact that the Chinese teams dont like the rough play very much, and dont counter it very well.

Teams sports are more popular in America because thats where the big money is.In America why play table tennis , badminton, squash
for very little money, when if you are good enough to play NFA NBA or Baseball where you can earn tens of millions.

Liu Xiang is not a drug cheat he is pure born talented in hurdles in 110m, his got some up and downs but are all very close in performance times. For someone to cheat their performance is near identical most of the times.

Guys talking about sporting icon not as in teams or nations but an INDIVIDUAL out of the three in China. SZBD I spent a fair amount of time in China and their were more badmington players then their were table tennis. When asked the locals they said that table tennis has become to competitive as a leisure sport while badmington you can still enjoy without being to frustrated in winning or loosing.

szbd said:

This is not true. It was not because China didn't want to play worldwide, but because China was rejected to do so. PRC was accepted by Olympic Association in 1979 and boycotted the 1980 Moscow game. That's why China first participated in Olympic games in 1984. On that game, China won 15 gold medals, not bad I should say.

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And you disagree with what? Nothing you stated goes in contrary to what I posted.

AssassinsMace said:

And you disagree with what? Nothing you stated goes in contrary to what I posted.

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Good news finally China has some decent swimmers now. Swimming has 20+ medals and China had only 1 of them now thats poor result in 2004. 5 months left to see who is more superior to sporting in pollution LOL