China is gearing up for its most ambitious Olympic campaign on foreign soil in Paris, boasting a delegation led by 42 Olympic champions. With participation across 236 disciplines, Chinese athletes are poised to excel, particularly in traditional sports such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics, diving, shooting, boxing, and weightlifting, aiming to clinch multiple gold medals.
However, this year marks a significant shift with the inclusion of new sports like skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and breakdancing. These disciplines, relatively new to China compared to its seasoned athletes, are set to challenge traditions and showcase emerging talents on the world stage.
Sport climbing, which debuted at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games and officially entered the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020, has seen rapid development in China. The nation has secured seven out of a possible eight spots, joining only the USA and France in achieving such a feat.
Tan Xiaofei, a former coach of the Chinese national team and a professional climbing coach, attributes climbing’s rise in China to its beauty and its growing popularity among urban residents seeking outdoor activities. Government support has also played a crucial role, particularly since its inclusion in the Olympics, elevating its status at both provincial and national levels.
The sport’s popularity has surged over the past 15 years, with approximately half a million participants in China. Cities like Shanghai boast over 100 climbing gyms, while Beijing hosts around 80. The sport offers professional opportunities for top climbers who represent their cities and provinces, with climbing gaining traction among children as a sport that fosters bravery and competition success beneficial for academic standings.
In competitive climbing, athletes compete in speed climbing and a combined discipline of bouldering and lead climbing. The latter, involving both roped and ropeless climbs, is particularly prestigious and fiercely contested.
At the Paris Olympics, 20 men and women will compete in each discipline, with countries permitted a maximum of two competitors per gender per discipline. Climbers qualify through performances in world or continental championships and special Olympic qualifying events.
Among China’s climbing prospects is 21-year-old Zhang Yuetong, hailing from Guangdong province, who secured her place in Paris by triumphing at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in Jakarta, excelling in both bouldering and lead disciplines.
Zhang’s journey into climbing began with her parents encouraging her to explore various extracurricular activities, where climbing quickly became her passion. Her early success in youth competitions and victories against adult competitors in her early teens underscore her natural talent and dedication to the sport.
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