The Stuttgart World Gymnastic Championships follows the one-year
countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games, showcasing the world a much
anticipated top gymnasts matchup from Sept. 1-9.
As a benchmark tournament leading up to the Beijing Olympics,
everyone get to give everything to it. Double roles, the host of
Beijing Olympics and the eight-gold winner from Aarhus worlds, put
China in the spotlight of the championships.
The historic eight gold medals from Aarhus worlds came somewhat
from a bit of luck, but more evidently from capability. Chinese
team deserved the glory. Their hard and scientific training
justified everything they got and that are yet to get.
If someone says China is strong enough to match the rest of the
gymnastic world ahead of last year's championships, it's quite
likely to stir up a lot of jeers, but not for now.
?
Chinese head coach Huang Yubin downplayed China's eight-gold
feat.
"I think we enjoy the temporary leading position because we
studied the new judging system maybe earlier than the other teams
and therefore understand it better," said Huang.
"But after the championships, they would learn more about the
rules and train better. I believe they would catch up soon."
Nevertheless, China has never stopped its stride to be better
and stronger.
China developed a series of new routines for national team
gymnasts. What's the point for that? High difficulty says best.
"As a qualifier for the Olympic Games and world championships,
no one can downplay national championships. All the high-difficulty
routines will be shown here, so the championships will check up the
output of last winter's training," coach Zhang Peiwen told Xinhua
during the national championships in June.
This time, China keeps the men's line-up still experienced
enough to retain their team title, but the women's team features a
flock of fresh blood.
The men's team includes several world champions _ Yang Wei, Chen
Yibing, Xiao Qin, Liang Fuliang, Zou Kai and Feng Jing. Yang, the
triple gold medallist in Aarhus, maintains a superb shape in the
year by leading individual all-around and rings title at China's
national championships. A second triple in Stuttgart is not
something intangible. Chen and Xiao are capable of being nicknamed
"rings' king" and "pommel king" under current world situation. The
newcomers Huang Xu, a veteran with world title, and Feng Zhe are
specialists in parallel bars. Feng is also a vault gold medallist
at Shanghai World Cup last month.
In China's women squad, Cheng Fei spearheads the "youth
mission". Cheng, another Chinese triple titlist last year, boasts
one of the best female gymnast worldwide. She is in a lofty
position of symbolizing gold-picker in floor exercise and
vault.
In spite of dropping Zhang Nan and Li Ya, the first ever team
title members, Chinese women's squad is de facto stronger. The
rookies Jiang Yuyuan, Yang Yilin, Xiao Sha and Li Shanshan are
proved better master-hands than their predecessors.
American Mike Filla saw that firsthand while training at
Beijing's Shichahai sports school last summer with four students
from the St. Louis Gym Center, where he coaches. Filla left in awe
and acknowledged Shichahai's gymnasts were three years ahead of his
athletes.
Filla also attended China's national championships and had words
of caution for US team.
"I would say the guy, who finished last in an event, was as good
as I've seen in America," said Filla. "There guys are on a
different level."
Anyway, gymnastics is a sport of combining difficulty and
stability. No stability, all difficulty goes in vain. Stability can
brings a win and can also cost everything especially for gymnastics
characterized with twist, somersault and flying.
(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2007)