Showing posts with label Beijing's Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beijing's Olympics. Show all posts

All six more athletes identified for doping at Beijing Olympics

BEIJING, April 30 -- The six more athletes were all identified for doping at the Beijing Olympic Games although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not name them or the sports involved.


(L-R) Qatar's Daham Najm Bashair, Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi and Bahrain's Belall Mansoor Belal race to the finish line during the men's 1500m race finals at the 15th Asian Games in Doha December 10, 2006. Bashair, Belal and Ramzi took the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

National sports bodies in Bahrain and Italy confirmed Wednesday that 1,500m champion Rashid Ramzi and road race medalist Davide Rebellin were among the six for positive for the new blood-boosting drug CERA in retests of their samples.

The other four were Dominican women's weightlifter Yudelquis Contreras, German cyclist Stephan Schumacher, Greek race walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka and Croatian 800m runner Vanja Perisic.


Yudelquis Contreras of the Dominican Republic competes in the women's 56kg weightlifting event at the Pan American Game in Rio de Janeiro, July 15, 2007.

If their backup "B" samples also come back positive, the athletes face being disqualified, stripped of medals and banned from the next Olympics.

The six new cases bring to 15 the total number of athletes caught doping in the Beijing Olympics.

The IOC reanalyzed a total of 948 samples from Beijing after new lab tests for CERA and insulin became available following the Olympics. The testing began in January and focused mainly on endurance events in cycling, rowing, swimming and track and field.

Ramzi won Bahrain's first ever Olympic gold medal in track and field after the Moroccan-born runner won the 800-1,500 double at the 2005 world championships.

Contreras competed in the women's 53-kilogram category, Tsoumeleka finished ninth in the 20km walk, and Perisic was eliminated in the first-round heats of the 800m.

The 37-year-old Rebellin finished second behind Spain's Samuel Sanchez in the Olympic road race, and Schumacher finished 13th in the Beijing time trial and dropped out before the finish of the road race.


Astana rider Levi Leipheimer(L) of the U.S. and Gerolsteiner's Stephan Schumacher (R) of Germany smile before the start of the stage nine of the Tour of Spain "La Vuelta" cycling race between Vielha and Sabinanigo Sept. 8, 2008.

The IOC previously disqualified nine athletes for doping at the Aug. 8-24 Olympics. In addition, there were six doping cases involving horses in the equestrian competition.

The IOC has already stripped four athletes of Beijing Olympic medals, namely, Ukrainian heptathlete Lyudmila Blonska (silver), Belarusian hammer throwers Vadim Devyatovskiy (silver) and Ivan Tsikhan (bronze) and DPR Korean shooter Kim Jong Su (silver and bronze).
(Xinhua)
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Olympic friendship on horseback: 4-yr ride from Beijing to London


British team leader Megan Lewis (C) addresses a news conference in Beijing, capital of China, on April 11, 2009. The news conference of "Olympic Friendship on Horseback: From Beijing to London" was held in Beijing on Saturday. Team members including British team leader Megan Lewis, and Chinese members Peng Wenchao and Li Jing will ride horses along the Silk Road from Beijing to London. The whole journey will be on horseback with a pacing speed of 40 to 50 kilometers per day and four years are expected to reach the achievement. It is scheduled to start in Beijing on April 18.


British team leader Megan Lewis (C) speaks to reporters in Beijing, capital of China, on April 11, 2009

A journalist looks into a solar-powered caravan specially-designed for sleeping and sheltering along the long horse ride, in Beijing, capital of China, on April 11, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
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Phelps back in Beijing


Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps poses at a press conference in Beijing. Phelps returned to Beijing on Jan. 10 to endorse an automobile maker on the mainland, the latest of several lucrative company sponsorship deals he has signed.

BEIJING, Jan. 12 -- Five months after he made Olympic history, American swimmer Michael Phelps returned to Beijing on Saturday to endorse an automobile maker on the mainland, the latest of several lucrative company sponsorship deals he has signed, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Phelps signed a "seven-figure" agreement to be a spokesman for Mazda Motor Corp. in China, where the Japanese automaker's sales have fallen because of decreased demand. The 23-year-old Olympic gold medalist will endorse the Mazda 6 car in television and print ads and public appearances, according to a news release by Dynamic Marketing Group's DMG Entertainment unit, which is heading up the campaign. The deal is the largest sponsorship for a western celebrity in China's history, according to various news reports.

The "Baltimore bullet" was welcomed at Beijing Capital International Airport by hundreds of reporters and fans and surrounded by camera flashes, screams and flowers. The situation got out of control for a few minutes, the Xinhua report said.


On Jan. 11, American swimmer Michael Phelps displays the Chinese character "niu" he wrote with a writing brush to wish Chinese netizens happy Spring Festival.
Later dozens of security guards escorted Phelps to a VIP lounge where he gave brief group interviews to about 200 media organizations, according to an article on the Espnstar website. Phelps said he expected to revisit the Water Cube during his five-day stay, the report said.

Phelps won an Olympic record of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics last August. He also won six gold medals and two bronze medals at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Since the Beijing Olympics, Phelps has signed lucrative product endorsement deals with various companies.

Source: CRIENGLISH.com
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Universiade test run for Olympics

Harbin, capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang province and host to the 2009 Winter Universiade, is considering a bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, senior officials revealed two months before the opening of the Universiade, from Feb 18-28.


Athetes train at the Heilongjiang Speed Skating Gymnasium, one of the venues for the 24th Winter Universiade, which will be held from Feb 18-28 in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. [Xinhua]

"If the hosting of the 2009 Winter Universiade can win applause from all the guests, it will enhance our confidence to bid for the Winter Olympic Games," said Li Zhanshu, governor of Heilongjiang province. "We are considering a bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, although the decision has to be approved by Chinese sports authorities."

Harbin, dubbed as "ice city" due to its beautiful scenery in winter, failed to make the short list for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, but won hosting rights for the 2009 Winter Universiade four years ago.

Vancouver, Canada, will host the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Harbin didn't launch a bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics, which was awarded in Sochi, Russia.

For hosting China's first Winter Olympics, the governor expressed his confidence.

"One of the important goals of bidding for a Winter Universiade is to accumulate experience for hosting a Winter Olympics. The infrastructure here in Harbin has already been qualified for the Winter Universiade, which has the second largest number of winter sports following the Winter Olympics," Li said. "We will continue to improve our weak points according to the feedback from Universiade participants and visit Vancouver and Sochi to learn more.

"If we fail again for the 2018 Games, we are determined to win the 2022 Winter Games. It's our dream to host China's first Winter Olympics."

Winter tourism boosted

Through hosting the Winter Universiade and preparing for Olympic bidding, Harbin, famous dazzling outdoor ice sculptures, is counting on a tourism boost.

"Harbin has built up the best venues among all the host cities of the Winter Universiade and it is a golden opportunity to promote the city's rich tourism resources in winter," said Li. "We have already designed four tourism lines for the visitors to experience ice and snow in the whole province and we hope the hosting city of a Winter Universiade could be a new name card for the city and even the whole province."

At present, Heilongjiang province hosts almost 40 million tourists annually, about 5 million of whom are attracted by high-standard ski resorts.

"With rich ice and snow resources, Heilongjiang province could be called the biggest tourism province in the northern part of China. We will further promote our winter tourism with the platform of the Winter Universiade and upgrade our services level," said Li.
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Olympic wunderkind Phelps to resume training in February

WASHINGTON -- Eight-time Beijing Olympic winner Michael Phelps will resume training in February, USA Today newspaper reported on Wednesday.


2008 Michael Phelps of the US celebrates after winning the men's 100m butterfly swimming final at the National Aquatics Centre during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 16, 2008. [Agencies]

The 23-year-old will get ready for the US national championships scheduled for July 7-11 in Indianapolis.

"We're basically going to take this whole year to try to get him to a point where he can really get into serious training in the fall of 2009," Phelp's coach Bob Bowman told the newspaper.

Phelps took several months vacation after the Olympics.
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Italian Super Cup to be played in Beijing


People walk past an about 30-meter (98.4 feet) high Christmas tree under decoration outside the "Bird's Nest", also known as National Stadium, in Beijing December 19, 2008. [Agencies]

The Super Cup is played by the winners of the Serie A title and the Italian Cup.

AS Roma is the current Super Cup holder, having beaten Serie A champs Inter Milan three years running.

The match will be played on August 8, exactly a year after the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

The Bird's Nest is the fourth overseas venue for the Super Cup after Washington (1993), Tripoli (2002) and New York (2003).
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Beijing Olympics - China's come-of-age show

BEIJING - China capped the most splendid year in its sports history when it concluded with a bang its debut as Olympic host in 2008.

After 16 days of near-flawless organization and first-class athletic achievement, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge called the Beijing Olympics "truly exceptional", validating China's seven-year efforts not only to stage a great Games but to use it as a gateway to gaining international recognition.

"It has been a long journey since our decision in July 2001 to bring the Olympic Games to China, but there can now be no doubt that we made the right choice," Rogge said on the final day of the Games in August.

Yet the run-up to the Beijing Olympics was not plain sailing, especially in the last few months before the opening ceremony.

An 8.0-magnitude earthquake hit southwest China's Sichuan Province in May, killing more than 80,000 people, and violent protesters disrupted the Olympic torch relay in France and other countries. In addition, there had been persistent concerns about Beijing's air pollution and the IOC initially said some outdoor endurance events might be re-scheduled in case of unhealthy air conditions.

To Beijing's credit, however, everything worked perfectly during the period of Games time, from the special Olympic bus lines bringing visitors in from around the city, to the thousands of smiling volunteers in blue-and-white uniforms offering help in different languages, to the tickets with embedded RFID chips that allowed for quick computerized scanning and to the clean skies that reminded many European visitors of Mediterranean conditions.

"The Beijing Games is testimony to the fact that the world has its trust rested in China," said Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Games. "The Chinese people, filled with enthusiasm, have honored the commitments they solemnly made."

These Games have attracted the most participants -- from a record 204 countries and regions -- and according to the IOC, television audiences achieved record high in most major markets and the games' presence online was by far the most extensive ever. The opening ceremony alone was seen by 1.2 billion people around the globe.

Rogge believed the largest extravaganza in Olympic history brought greater global understanding of once-reclusive China.

"Through the Games, the world has learned more about China, and China learned more about the world," he said.

For 100 years the Olympic dream has been a national obsession, as historical archives showed that shortly after the 1908 Games in London, a magazine based in north China's port city of Tianjin published an article and first raised the question: When will China be able to host the Olympic Games?

And for the past seven years the Olympics has been a driving force to push China forward. If nothing else, some of the 40 billion U.S. dollars invested in the Beijing 2008 preparations will remain in the form of the three new subway lines, a new airport terminal and sports facilities built for the Games. The thousands of young, smiling volunteers will take their warmth and enthusiasm back to their daily lives.

The Olympics also offered China another chance to adopt international practice. IOC officials, foreign administrative teams and foreign sponsors were engaged extensively in the preparations. From the design of the state-of-the-art Bird's Nest, to the broadcasting and administrative work, they helped improve the standard of the Games.

With the Olympic baton now passed on to London, the legacy will last well after.

"The Games gave us a more open and mature attitude," said Professor Hu Jiqing from Nanjing University. "This attitude featured magnanimity, tolerance and pluralism."

"More importantly, it embodies a more confident nation," added Hu.
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Slovenian Olympic medalists best athletes for 2008

BELGRADE -- Slovenian Olympic medalists Primoz Kozmus and Sara Isakovic were selected on Monday the best athletes of the tiny former Yugoslav republic for 2008.


The file photo shows Sara Isakovic competing in the game.

Kozmus, the Beijing Olympic champion in the hammer throw, and swimming sensation Isakovic, who won silver in the women's 200 meters freestyle at the Beijing Games, collected 361 and 365 votes respectively from Slovenian sports journalists, the Slovenian news agency STA reported.


Slovenian Olympic medalists Primoz Kozmus is seen in this file photo.

A total of 124 journalists from 21 media outlets took part in the annual vote.

All of the Olympic medalists and their coaches also received special awards for their achievements at a ceremony held in the capital Ljubljana on Monday evening.
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The Bird's Nest has become a 50-yuan-a-ticket tourist trap. The Water Cube hosts daily concerts. Now one more Olympic venue seems destined to escape becoming a notorious white elephant of misuse in the wake of the Beijing Games.


Spectators line up to buy food during the rain-interrupted quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics on Aug 14 at the center court of the Olympic Green Tennis Center. The venue will host the 2009 China Open in October. AFP

The Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center, which resembles either a bowl of rice, a blossoming lotus or a flying saucer depending on your vantage point, will host the China Open next year from Oct 1 to 11 to put some glitz and glamour back into the game.

"After the Olympic Games, the utilization of all stadiums and manpower has become a long-term strategy to grow Beijing as a sports center, with tennis becoming a core strategy for this city," said Sun Kanglin, director of the Beijing Sports Bureau.

The 10-court venue, which was purpose-built for the Aug 8-24 Games and features space-age air-cooling technology for spectators, was supposed to host this year's tournament but was unable to transition in time due to the proximity of the Paralympics and high costs.

Now, with memories of China's historic Olympic success at the stadium still permeating the local consciousness, the stage is set for next year's event, which comprises two tournaments: the WTA and ATP 500 Series.

The $4.5 million women's tournament is one of four crown-jewel events next year - including two in the US and one in Madrid - as the WTA streamlines its calendar but still keeps space for other top Asia-Pacific stops in Tokyo, Sydney, Doha and Dubai.

Beijing, which opened a new regional WTA office in July spearheaded by the Tour's chief operating officer, David Shoemaker, was named one of 10 cities to win the coveted ATP 500 Series, which is secondary only to the Master Series in terms of prestige.

This can only be good news for the fledgling China Open as it approaches its fifth year of business. The Beijing sports authority has announced a post-Olympic budget of 500 million yuan ($62.5 million) to host international tournaments - and the WTA event tops the list.

"The partnership between the Tour, Beijing municipal government and Beijing sports society creates a great foundation to extend to wider audiences as we work together to develop tennis in Beijing and all of China," said Sun.

Shoemaker said he hoped the China Open would spur social change among women in China.

"The fact our top players play here sends a very strong and powerful signal about the progressiveness of some of those places that I think is inspiring social change," he said.

Beijing outbid Dubai, Tokyo and Bangkok to become one of just four cities to host the elite event, which makes it mandatory for the world's top 50 female players. The top 10 players will be subject to severe penalties if they withdraw without good reason.

Meanwhile, the world's best male players must participate in four of the year's 10 ATP 500 Series including at least one after the US Open in August, which gives them a choice of either Beijing, Tokyo, Basel (Switzerland) or Valencia (Spain).

Tennis focus

Chinese tennis players have been making impressive breakthroughs in singles and doubles events in recent years, characterized by world No 23 Li Na, who became the first Chinese to reach the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam. Her compatriot Zheng Jie, ranked world No 25, made another step forward by making the Wimbledon Open semifinals early this year.

Zheng is also a two-time Grand Slam doubles winner with Yan Zi.

After winning the (women's) doubles gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games, China clinched a bronze in the same event and an historic fourth place in the women's singles tournament by Li.

"Beijing will be our primary focus in Asia," Shoemaker said. "I think it is the best time to bring the (WTA) tournament to Beijing. Women's tennis is in its prime now. The popularity has never been higher; the prize money is on the highest level. With the increasing support from our global and local sponsors, the sport can get even stronger."

China Open organizers said they are intent on building a solid and influential brand based on top quality play.

"The goal is to make it the leading and exemplary event for Beijing and a bright spot for the sustainable development of the sports industry in Beijing after the Olympics," said Sun.

This triggered a date change from September to one month later to coincide with a national holiday. Renovations are also under way to complete the makeover from Olympic venue to commercial enterprise, with exclusive zones for players and sponsors to be set up in addition to VIP rooms.

"Off the court, we are also fighting with other cities regarding how we can offer the best services to players," said Sun. "Unlike the Beijing Games, we have to offer individual rest rooms and dressing rooms.

"All such details must be taken into consideration if we want to host a traditional and prestigious tennis event."

China Daily
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Special Olympics event to kick off in NE China

CHANGCHUN, Northeast China, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- A Special Olympics winter sports event will kick off Monday in northeast China's Changchun city, capital of Jilin Province, an official said Saturday.

Wang Zhijun, chairman of Special Olympics China, said that it is the first time for China to host an event of Special Olympics winter sports. A total of 179 athletes will take part in the three-day competition.

Special Olympics is an international sporting competition created to help people with intellectual disabilities develop self-confidence, social skills and a sense of personal accomplishment. Among their activities, Special Olympics conducts the Special Olympics World Games every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games.
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Chinese Olympic champions in gymnastics World Cup finals

MADRID -- Chinese Olympic champions Cheng Fei and He Kexin will be among a star-studded line-up at the gymnastics World Cup finals next month in Madrid, organizers said on Sunday.


File photo of Cheng Fei of China.

Romanian veteran Sandra Izbasa will also be taking part in the December12-14 event.

Tomita Hiroyuki, member of the Japanese team which won gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics, recently announced he would retire after the Madrid finals.

"I am feeling weaker every year and every time it is harder for me to perform the kind of artistic gymnastic that I want. I have had a great career," said the 27-year-old Hiroyuki.

Other big names including Russian Anton Golotsutskov and Elena Zamolodchikova, Dutch Suzanne Harmes, Yuri van Gelder and Jeffrey Wammes, will also be present in Madrid.

The organizing committee said that the best eight male and female athletes in the official ranking of the International Federation of Gymnastics will attend.
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Olympics clear way for new generation of shuttlers

The ongoing China Open is proving a testing ground for the country's young shuttlers to prove their mettle and fill a void left by those veterans who retired in the wake of the Beijing Games.

Host China fared well at badminton during the Aug 8-24 Olympics, earning three gold medals, two silvers and three bronzes, but the subsequent retirement of several stars has brought its own trials and tribulations.

Gone from the national squad is Zhang Ning, a two-time Olympic champion in the women's singles event. Also missing are Athen Games doubles champs Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen, and two-time Olympic mixed doubles winner Gao Ling. A special ceremony will be held in their honor when the Shanghai tournament ends on Sunday.

Significantly, most of the 60-odd participants at the China Open are aged 20 or younger, giving them time to find their place on the under-construction team and settle into their new roles.

"Entering the senior national side brings me closer to a world championship title and I will continue to strive for this," said Wang Xiaoli, the 2006 women's doubles world junior champion, who was recently moved up. "My ultimate goal is clear now and I'm confident that I can work towards it."

While the squad will be bolstered by newly crowned men's Olympic gold medalist Lin Dan, and women's doubles champions Du Jing and Yu Yang, hopes are pinned on the new recruits to further establish China's position at the top end of the sport - especially in the pairs events.

"Compared to these new guys, we're already veterans," said Yu, who is only 22. "We should set a good example for them and help to build up a healthy competitive atmosphere in the team."

She will have plenty of work to do, given the influx of new pairings brought into the mix.

"In our area alone, five new pairs have been added, but all of them are still in the testing period," said Chen Xingdong, who coaches the mixed doubles team. "We will try to find the best match-ups in the competitions to come."

In the doubles, the team has added four new women's pairs and five more men's.

Champion coaches

Fortunately, the national side has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to coaches, many of whom are former Olympic or world champions.

However due to the reshuffling that often occurs in a transitional period such as after the Olympics, some younger coaches in their thirties will get a chance to prove their worth and establish their credentials.

Former men's world champion Xia Xuanze was appointed head coach of the men's singles, while two-time mixed doubles Olympic champion Zhang Jun takes over the role for the men's doubles. Mixed doubles champ Chen Qiqiu will guide the women's doubles team.

"These young coaches have rich competition experience and they will only get better with practice," said overall head coach Li Yongbo. "Their confidence of winning will be of tremendous benefit to the young players."
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Wang warms to captain's role

Olympic champion Wang Meng can be as frosty as her hometown of Harbin but the new captain of China's women's short track speedskating team says she has reined in her bad temper, forgotten old spats with her coach and is ready to take the team to new heights.


China's Meng Wang celebrates her team's gold medal win following the women's 3,000 meter relay final at the World Cup short track speed skating championships in Vancouver, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008.[Agencies]

"We worked very hard for this season, which is the last one before the 2010 (Vancouver) Winter Games, and we've done a good job on the first two stops," said Wang, who gold medaled in the 500m at her first Olympics in Turin in 2006 and took a silver and bronze in the longer distances.

"The whole team is making great progress right now and I can also control my temper. I'm now the captain and I know that the younger team members will be watching to see what example I set."

At the Asian Winter Games in early 2007, the conflict between her and head coach Li Yan peaked and captured the attention of the Chinese public as Wang openly criticized Li's teaching methods.

Li was back from a stint coaching American Olympic champion Apolo Anton Ohno and was in no mood to tolerate dissent from within her own ranks, a stance that ultimately sparked the Chinese Winter Sports Administrative Center to ban Wang from competing at that year's World Championships.

She was back in the national team six months later however and enjoyed a run of good form that already includes six gold medals from the first two stops of the latest ISU World Cup series in the United States and Canada, with Wang blazing new world records along the way in the 500m and 3,000 relay race in the United States.

Now the feisty young skater says she has grown up and deserves her shot at captaining the team, a rank bestowed on her just prior to the start of the season.

"Experiencing one Olympics and several international competitions, I think I have grown more mature and I see the captaincy as a new kind of responsibility," said the 23-year-old.

The team has already relegated archrivals South Korea to second place in the world rankings - including the traditional chink in China's armor, the 1,500m.

Coach Li says things are on the right track.

"The team is following its four-year plan and has achieved everything it set out to do at the competitions so far," she said. "Wang has improved a lot both technically and psychologically and is now a responsible captain."

Short track has always been a cornerstone of China's strength at winter sports. Yang Yang headed up a golden era for the sport punctuated by her five Olympic medals over three Winter Games and 21 world titles over a span of eight years. Her two golds at Salt Lake City in 2002 included China's first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal.

Li said she hopes to incubate a second generation of gold prospectors.

"Of course I want to bring up a fresh golden team for China and the current young team is qualified," she said. "Wang was the only skater who could compete with the (world's best) before, but now the whole team is improving."

Seventeen-year-old Zhou Yang has already proven herself an outstanding member of the team, squeezing past Korea's famed blocking techniques to grab two golds at the 1,500m in the season-opener.

"My technique has got better and better so I'm more confident," said Zhou, now on her second year on the international circuit.

"The Winter Olympics is my ultimate goal and I hope to do even better in Vancouver."

Men's medal drought

In contrast, China's men have had to deal with a devastating medal drought since the retirement of multiple world and Olympic champion Li Jiajun after Turin.

"Technique-wise, we have developed relatively slowly compared to the rest of the world," said Li Ye, a bronze-medalist in the 5,000m relay in Salt Lake City. "I hope we can patch up the distance as soon as possible and rejoin the world's best."

Coach Li however delivered a more damning verdict.

"The men's team lose before they even reach the starting line," she said, adding that they need to be more motivated and train harder.
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China's veteran pair hope to bow out in 2010 with an Olympic medal

BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese pair Pang Qing and Tong Jian had been tipped to open a new era in figure skating when they won the world championships title in 2006. But it seemed not the reality.

Pang and Tong had to settle for a bronze medal here on Friday in the International Skating Union Grand Prix Cup of China, failing to end their title draught in major international events since the world championships success.

To the music of a selection of passionate Tango, Pang and Tong, in red-and-black costume, delivered a smooth performance in free skating on Friday. However, they were forced to cancel some movements due to Tong's injury, and two lapses in single jumps cost them seven points.

"We were supposed to do a two-and-a-half jump, but I'm suffering from an Achilles's tendon injury and it didn't allow me to finish that movement." Pang said at the post-competition press conference.

Tong sprained his ankle in August and rested for nearly a month. The injury aggravated as he intensified training to prepare for a national competition in October.

"I once really thought about quitting, but I chose to persist. Because I believe we still have potential to tap even after our success in 2006," said Tong.

"Besides, we don't want to leave with an unrealized Olympic dream," added the 29-year-old.

Pang and Tong finished fourth in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

"Everyone has a dream, we hope to fulfill our Olympic dream in Vancouver 2010, which is our third Winter Olympics, or maybe the last one," said Pang.
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Beautiful Olympic volunteers behind the curtain





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Samaranch visits Olympic community in Beijing


Juan Antonio Samaranch (C), honorary president of the International Olympic Committee, views a sculpture modelled after him during a visit to the Dongsi Olympic community in Beijing, capital of China, Spet. 11, 2008.


Juan Antonio Samaranch (C), honorary president of the International Olympic Committee, cuts the ribbon for the unveiling of the sculptures of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee president, and himself during a visit to the Dongsi Olympic community in Beijing, capital of China, Spet. 11, 2008.


Juan Antonio Samaranch (C), honorary president of the International Olympic Committee, writes an inscription for the community museum during a visit to the Dongsi Olympic community in Beijing, capital of China, Spet. 11, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)
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Chinese gold medallists demonstrate skills in Hong Kong


China's gold medal winners Yu Yang(R) and Du Jing perform during a demonstration in Hong Kong, August 30, 2008. .(Xinhua Photo)


China's gold medal winner Yang Wei(L) performs during a demonstration in Hong Kong, August 30, 2008. Chinese gold medallists are visiting Hong Kong for three days to demonstrate their skills.(Xinhua Photo)


China's gold medal winners Cheng Fei(R) and Yang Yilin perform during a demonstration in Hong Kong, August 30, 2008. Chinese gold medallists are visiting Hong Kong for three days to demonstrate their skills. (Xinhua Photo)
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IAAF Golden League athletics meeting

"Lightning" Bolt wins men's 100m race at Golden League



Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after winning the men's 100m race in 9.83 seconds during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after winning the men's 100m race in 9.83 seconds during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after winning the men's 100m race in 9.83 seconds during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Usain Bolt of Jamaica signs autographs after winning the men's 100m race in 9.83 seconds during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Lolo Jones of the U.S. reacts after winning in the women's 100 meters hurdles race at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Lolo Jones of the U.S. celebrates winning the women's 100 m hurdles race at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Allyson Felix (C) runs to win the women's 200m race ahead of Muriel Hurtis (L) of France and Debbie Ferguson (R) of the Bahamas at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Allyson Felix from the U.S. reacts after winning in the women's 200m event at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Pamela Jelimo of Kenya reacts after winning in the women's 800m event at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Pamela Jelimo of Kenya reacts after winning in the women's 800m event at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


USA wins men's 4x400m relay with new Olympic record



Darvis Patton of the U.S. reacts after the team won the men's 4x100m relay at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Darvis Patton (L) of the U.S. and his team mate Travis Padgett run next to the Trinidad and Tobago's team to win in the men's 4x100m relay at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)



Rodney Martin (R) hands the baton to Shawn Crawford as the U.S. during the men's 4x100m relay race at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Jeremy Wariner of the U.S. pours water over his head after winning the men's 400m event at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Dayron Robles (L) of Cuba clears a hurdle ahead of David Oliver (R) of the U.S. to win the men's 110m hurdles race at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


David Oliver of the U.S. crosses the finish line in second place during the men's 110m hurdles race at the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Haron Keitany of Kenya celebrates winning the men's 1500 meters race during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Russia's Insinbaeva retains women's pole vault gold



Russian women's pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva clears 4.65 m during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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Olympian medalists charm Hong Kong


Beijing Olympics gold medal diver Guo Jingjing (left) and table tennis champion Zhang Yining greet their fans as they arrive at the Hong Kong Airport Friday. A delegation of Olympic gold medalists from the mainland will stay in Hong Kong for three days to demonstrate their skills. The Chinese team won a record 100 medals, including 51 golds at the Beijing Games, which wrapped up last weekend.(Photo: Shanghai Daily)


Beijing Olympics gold medal diver Guo Jingjing (R) shakes hands with her fans in Hong Kong on Aug. 29, 2008.(Xinhua Photo)


Cheng Fei (2nd Right), a member of delegation of Olympic gold medalists, shakes hands with her fans in Hong Kong on Aug. 29, 2008.(Xinhua Photo)
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"Lightning" Bolt wins men's 100m race at Golden League

Jamaicans complete sweep of all Olympic sprint golds

Jamaica's Bolt breaks world record in 9.69 to win men's 100m Olympic gold


Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after winning the men's 100m race during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after winning the men's 100m race during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)


Usain Bolt of Jamaica signs autographs after winning the men's 100m race during the IAAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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