Several Chinese athletes who have gained national and international recognition have come from such grassroots communities.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - As one of the strongest contenders in the world of sports, China will not miss out on participating in the 18th Asian Games 2018 to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.
Local sports associations and athletes in the world`s most populous country have been tight-lipped on their target but have instead been training relentlessly to prepare for Asia`s quadrennial sports event.
The coaching system in China is well-structured that helps them to measure their achievements optimally.
China had delivered its best performance in sporting events by finishing at the top of the medals tally for the first time in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing.
The bottom-up selection process for Chinese national athletes is their secret to success.
Young talent is discovered at the grassroots level. They are not selected for their proximity to coaches, managements, or particular important people in Chinese sports associations.
The most apparent example is the fact that several Olympics communities have been established in China.
The Olympics communities are independent institutions governed by local people at the sub-district level in China.
Several Chinese athletes who have gained national and international recognition have come from such grassroots communities.
Moreover, Chinese secondary schools are serious and eager to nurture athletes.
They compete to train young talent using not only adequate sports facilities but also those of international standard.
"A sport is not only an extracurricular school program but also a talent search event," Vice Principal of the 39 Beijing High School Zuo Fulin informed Antara`s reporter in Beijing, M. Irfan Ilmie.
The school, located in Xihuangchenggen Bei Lu No2, Beijing, is seriously training its students to become badminton players.
They have several sports facilities, such as a basketball court, football court, and badminton court. The school`s basement houses a swimming pool and table tennis court.
Photographs of the world`s top badminton players, such as Lin Dan from China, Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia, and Taufik Hidayat from Indonesia, are displayed on the walls of the school`s badminton court.
"If the Indonesian government assists, we would like to invite Taufik Hidayat here to train our students," Fulin stated.
Fulin and most Chinese people are aware of Indonesia`s dominance in badminton and have also lauded Indonesian badminton players for being tough contenders to Chinese athletes.
In China, coaching is offered for sports since an early age coupled with fierce competition.
Hence, there is still no confirmation on the list of Chinese athletes to represent their country at the Asian Games 2018.
It is possible that talented athletes at the provincial level who had won medals in the Chinese national sports week in Tianjin three months ago could be summoned to participate in the Asian Games to be held from Aug 18 to Sept 2 next year.
Chinese swimmers Sun Yang and Fu Yuanhui, gold medalists at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games 2016, were expected to complete for their country at the 2018 Asian Games.
The two athletes were unmatched in the swimming events during the National Games held in Tianjing last September.
Support for Chinese athletes has come not only from the government but also private sector companies, especially those engaged in the business of sports equipment.
Taishan Sports Industry Group, a Chinese enterprise, for instance, is involved in the Asian Games 2018 for supplying sports equipment for 12 sports events to be held in venues in Jakarta and Palembang.
"We are happy to participate and to succeed in the Asian Games in Indonesia," Zhiliang Bian, a founder of the Taishan Sports Industry Group, informed Antara in Dezhou, Shandong Province.
Taishan had also been the supplier of a sports event during the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. At that time, the company had only supported eight sports events.
Former Indonesian Ambassador to China Soegeng Rahardjo, during his tenure at that time, positively welcomed the involvement of Taishan in the Asian Games for its products, such as mattresses for martial arts and wrestling, which have been widely used in international sports events.
"Moreover, several companies in Dezhou have established partnership with private sector firms in Indonesia," Ambassador Rahardjo noted.
The Indonesian Embassy in China has also been intensely promoting the Asian Games 2018 in China.
A large monitor was installed on the left side of the embassy`s gate in Beijing to introduce and promote the Asian Games 2018 to the public in China.
Likewise, the Chinese local media has been positively covering stories on the Asian Games 2018 since Vietnam quit as the Asian Games host in 2014.
"Indonesia is now busy renovating infrastructure, facilities, and accommodations for athletes to contend in the upcoming 2018 Asian Games," Xinhua News Agency noted on Nov 23.
The Chinese state-run national news agency has also covered stories of Indonesia preparing its athletes to compete in the Asian Games 2018.
Next year will be the second time for Indonesia to host the Asian Games since 1962, according to other Chinese media.
Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Liu Yandong made a special request to Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla to prepare a one thousand-square-meter area at the Jakarta Convention Centre to accommodate Chinese journalists who will cover the Asian Games 2018.
"Hence, China is keen to broadcast live for 12 hours. They want to demonstrate their supremacy in sports, as it is expected, or probably, China would rank first in the games," Kalla noted after meeting with the Chinese deputy prime minister in Jakarta.
China has topped the medals table for the ninth successive time in the Asian Games since 1982.
China`s dominance in sports will once again be put at stake in Jakarta and Palembang for its success in the Asian Games 2018 will be a crucial milestone prior to its turn to host the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
(T.A059/A/KR-BSR/F001)
Reporter: M. Irfan Ilmie/Aditya E.S.
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
