Zhuhai athletes true Olympians
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LI Qiang, who was born in Zhuhai, came in sixth in the men’s canoe singles (C1) 500m final at the Games in Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park on Saturday, the best-ever Olympic rank in the event in Chinese history. Another Zhuhai athlete, Liang Peixing, and her teammates placed ninth in the kayak four (K4) 500m women’s final on Friday. Maxim Opalevo of Russia won the gold medal in the men’s canoe singles (C1) 500m, and defending champion Germany defeated Hungary to clinch the kayak four (K4) 500m women’s final gold.
A paddler for only four years, Li was content with his result. “It’s my first time to compete with the world’s top-notch aces. It’s a rare chance for me,” he said, showing appreciation to his team and Zhuhai, the cradle of his career. He pledged to strive for a higher level. “I believe in my strength, especially my potential,” he said.
Liang Peixing seemed depressed for having lost the match. Regardless, Jiang Jiancheng, director of the municipal Sports Department, said: “We’re proud of all the athletes representing Zhuhai. We’re always behind you.”
“We were too eager to win,” Liang said, adding, “An athlete with a too-strong desire will feel nervous, which will interfere with the rhythm if he fails to regain his timing.”
Liang’s first coach, Yuan Dong, said to her,” You take part in the Olympic Games and confront challenge and failure at the age of 17. This is a huge fortune for you, and so you should feel happy and grateful. It is great that you are part of the game.”
“I was a big hope of my townspeople, but now I let them down. Nevertheless, I’ll learn my lessons from the failure. I’m still young and I’ll work harder,” Liang said.
China lost to Canada 7-8 and placed 12th in the final ranking of the men’s water polo. The Chinese team has not won any match in the Games. However, Zhuhai-born Liang Zhongxing scored seven times in the preliminary and semifinal matches.
Liang is happy to have accumulated a great know-how in his first appearance in the Olympic Games. “I’ll be steadfast in my career and first concentrate on the National Sports Meet next year,” Liang said. The competition among teams in China is also intense, he said, adding, “You have to keep a close eye on each rival if you want to win.”
Liang did a great job in both defense and organizing offence, Liang’s first coach, Feng Bingyou, noted. He and his team had a real go at it in the last match, and it was just a narrow loss to Canada, Feng added.
Li Qiang placed third in the canoe singles C1 500M men’s semi-final at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Thursday, having successfully secured his berth for the finals flat-water competition and eliminating 2004 Athens Olympic Games champion Team Germany.
“I felt good and confident,” Li said.
Germany and Hungary are canoe/kayak powers that stand in the way of gold and silver medals for other competitors. Yet, third place against Poland is perhaps within reach for China. Coach Manfred Kasper said he thinks highly of Liang Peixing, who has balanced development in power, speed and skill. “She debuted in the Olympic Games at age 17 and she can make a few more presences in Olympic Games with a lot of chances ahead for gold medals,” he said.
China squeaked by Sweden 20-19 in the women’s handball’s 5-8 placements at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday. The win enabled the hosts to fight for fifth place in Saturday’s competition. It was a breakthrough compared with the eighth ranking of Chinese women at the Athens Olympics four years ago, according to Xinhua News Agency.
China launched continuous attacks and carried out efficient cooperation before the gate. It put an end to the first half with 8-7, although Sweden scored first with a powerful shot in the fourth minute. Zhuhai native Zhang Geng made several scores despite a leg injury.
Li Qiang took second place in Heat 3 of the men’s canoe singles (C1) 500m races and entered the semifinals on Tuesday.
Another Chinese oarsman, Zhong Hongyan, occupied second place in Heat 2 of the women’s kayak singles 500m.
In the men’s kayak singles (K1) 500m races, 27 of the 29 paddlers qualified for the semifinals.
The last event on Tuesday’s agenda was the women’s kayak doubles (K2) 500m. Seventeen boats entered. Those from Germany and Hungary won.
Li Qiang’s first coach, Yuan Dong, who is also vice director of the Zhuhai Doumen Sports Department, said he was satisfied with Li’s performance and that he hoped Li would enter the semifinals.
“Everything is possible only if he enters the semifinal,” he said.
“Distances between athletes are tiny and so each match varies greatly in the outcome. What matters most is to seize each chance of entering the next round,” Yuan said. If Li succeeds in making his way to the final, he will surely have a chance to win a medal,” he added.
Li performed well, especially during the last 100 metres. Still, Li is too young for international games as he lacks experience, Yuan pointed out. Moreover, the wind from the right side will make trouble for Li, a right-handed rower, he noted.
Li gave up the men’s canoe singles 1,000m races, as canoeing depletes energy and consumes incredible power from the waist, abdomen and legs. Therefore, concentration on one event will help him achieve the goal, Yuan explained. “He will make it -- I can’t predict if it will be in this Olympics or not, because he is still very young and there are quite a few Olympics ahead,” he said.
Xu Yapin, Zhong Hongyan, Yu Lamai and Zhuhai native Liang Peixing paddled to second place in the kayak four 500m women’s event on Monday, the only women’s canoe event that day, and so they directly entered finals. The Deutschland kayak four topped the group to enter the finals.
Croatia thumped China 16-4 for second spot in the Group B men’s water polo action at the Yingdong Natatorium on Monday, and Italy slid by Serbia 13-12, giving Serbia third place. Hungary thrashed Canada 12-3 to win the group while Spain trounced Greece 10-6 to claim second place.
China men’s water polo team is not as adept as European and American first-rate teams in essential skills and levels of training, and thus China’s team showed spirit and will for future international matches, Chief Coach Wang Minhui pointed out.
As a leading player, Zhuhai native Liang Zhongxing performed well in defense, fight and movement, but displayed inexperience and lack of strength, Liang’s first coach, Feng Bingyou, noted. Nevertheless, it was a rare chance for him to compete at the Olympic Games, Feng said, and learn from his mistakes.
Zhuhai native Liang Zhongxing kept making trouble for Greece in the quarterfinal match of the men’s water polo on Wednesday, although China had been knocked out of tenth place.
With height of 198cm and sophisticated swimming skills, Liang was the main obstacle to Greece’s offences. But, when the game drew to a close, Liang was sent off for a third foul, which weakened the team, according to Liang’s first coach Feng Bingyou.
“He has done his best and he lost with honour,” Feng said.
Water polo is popular in many European and American countries, comparable to table tennis in China, while the China men’s water polo team played for the first time in an Olympic match. They lack experience, Feng said.
Liang also said that he had learned a lot, which will surely help in the next Asian Games in Guangzhou.
(ZD News)
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