What better way to show the Olympic spirit with Yang Yang’s infectious smile?
In case you need a reminder it’s an Olympics year again, we have the ever so adorable Yang Yang and Amber Kuo as celeb torch-bearers in Athens to start the Olympic flame’s journey around the world.
Who are you rooting at Rio 2016? For those of you who were with us at the forum, I still remember us (mostly me) balling on the chatbox over Qiu Bo getting silver. I think that’s definitely one gold I’m rooting for, although Chen Aisen is turning out to be a serious competitor for the gold this year. Also can someone update me on what’s going on with the gymnastics team? They seem to have done horrible at last year’s world championships.
I’ll update you on gymnastics: Here are results from 2015 World Championships.
Men’s: bronze team, bronze all around, silver and bronze on rings, gold and bronze on pbars
Women’s: silver team, fourth all around, gold on bars, fourth on floor, sixth on vault– pretty good considering China hasn’t had a gymnast in vault event finals since Cheng Fei in 2008. I wouldn’t call this horrible :P
As for updates of the current situation: All the female athletes from the 2008 squad have retired, and Yao Jinnan, the only one with Olympic experience from London 2012, is recovering from injury and wasn’t at 2015 worlds (and probably won’t be in Rio). Most of the girls in contention are relatively new. (Yeah we don’t know who will be on the team at this point, but my best guess is that it will look something like Shang Chunsong, Wang Yan, Tan Jiaxin, Fan Yilin, and Mao Yi or Liu Tingting for the last spot.)
Without going into too much detail and gymnastics jargon, the Chinese women basically have been working to improve their weaker events, vault and floor, and it’s paying off.
As for what we can expect for Rio, I don’t want to push for anything (just want everyone to do their best!) and it’s very difficult to predict, but… There’s potential to have gymnasts in all event finals (hopefully!) and we will most likely medal in team finals, and on uneven bars and maybe in other events as well.
I’m not very knowledgable about the men, but I do know that Zou Kai (2008 and 2012 Olympian) is still around and training, as is Zhang Chenglong (2012 Olympian). And a lot of the newer guys like Deng Shudi, You Hao, Liu Yang, have potential.
Go team China!! :)
I have those Nike’s Yang Yang is wearing but in another colour haha! :D