Inside China's Secretive Olympic Training Program

Summary

China's journey from a modest Olympic presence in 1988 to a dominant force in 2008 is attributed to a strategic 'gold-winning factory' approach. This involved identifying and training children with specific genetic potential for sports, often at the expense of their education and personal lives. The system, initially successful, now faces challenges due to societal changes, including wealthier families prioritizing education over sports and the impact of the one-child policy. As a result, China is transitioning from a boarding school model to a more balanced approach, integrating sports training with regular education.

Takeaways

• 🏅 China has evolved from a modest performer in the 1988 Olympics to a dominant force, particularly after hosting the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
• 🤔 The transformation in China's Olympic success is attributed to a strategic and methodical approach, akin to a 'Factory' system for identifying and nurturing athletic talent.
• 🧬 The system involves early and rigorous selection processes, focusing on genetic potential and physical attributes to predict future athletic success.
• 🏫 Thousands of government-run sports schools were established to train selected children in sports with a high probability of winning medals.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The training is intense and often at the expense of traditional academic education, with students spending 6 hours or more daily on athletic training.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Specialization is key; children are directed towards sports that match their physical attributes and the country's strategic focus on certain disciplines.
• 🥇 The strategy prioritizes winning medals, even if it means focusing on niche sports with less competition, rather than spreading efforts across all sports.
• 📉 The system faces challenges as China's societal values shift, with parents and children increasingly valuing education over athletic careers.
• 👶 Demographic changes, including low birth rates and fewer children, make it harder to sustain the sports school system that relies on a large pool of talent.
• 🔄 In response to these challenges, China is adapting its sports training system, moving away from the boarding school model to a more integrated approach with regular education.
• ❓ The future success of China's Olympic strategy remains uncertain as it navigates these societal and demographic shifts.

Q & A

What was China's position in the 1988 Summer Olympics?

China ended up 11th with just five gold medals.

How did China's Olympic performance change between 1988 and 2008?

China went from being 11th in 1988 to dominating the Olympics in 2008, winning nine times as many gold medals and ranking first ahead of the United States.

What strategy did China adopt to improve its Olympic performance?

China created a system to find, select, and train talent from a young age, focusing on sports with the highest probability of winning and using a methodical and calculated approach.

How did China identify potential athletes among its population?

China developed a system where local governments tested and assessed children between 8 and 13 years old, selecting those with the most potential based on genetic traits and physical attributes.

What was the role of government-run sports schools in China's strategy?

Government-run sports schools trained around 400,000 full-time student athletes, focusing on athletics and providing intense training to perfect the basics of their chosen sports.

What was the training regimen like for the athletes in these sports schools?

Athletes underwent 6 hours or more of training per day, with an emphasis on drilling the basics to perfection. The training was intense and often at the expense of academic education.

What were the chances of a sports school student making it to the Olympics?

Only about one in eight sports school students made it to a provincial team, a third of those made it to the national team, about a fifth of the national team members became Olympians, and only about one in eight of these actually made the cut to the Olympics.

What were the consequences for athletes who did not make it to the Olympics?

About 80% of them struggled with unemployment, poverty, and chronic health issues, according to China's physical education and Sport committee.

How has China's focus on specific sports contributed to its Olympic success?

China focused on a smaller number of disciplines where it could dominate, especially in niche sports with lower competition, which suited its training methods.

What challenges is China's sports system facing due to societal changes?

As China developed and became wealthier, parents became less willing to send their children to sports schools, preferring a university education. Additionally, the one-child policy's consequences, such as low birth rates and a decreasing number of children, make it harder to find potential athletes.

How is China adapting its sports system to current challenges?

Since 2010, an increasing number of Chinese sports schools have been moving away from the boarding school system, allowing students to live with their parents and attend regular schools, with sports training happening after class.