Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
    Sports
    Home / Sports / China

    Saddling up for success

    By SUN XIAOCHEN | China Daily | Updated: 2018-02-02 09:04
    Share
    Share - WeChat
    China is still a relative newcomer to equestrian sport but is already targeting podium success in international competition-specifically at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. [Photo by Cheng Jiabei/For China Daily]

    China ramps up its global gallop as it targets Tokyo 2020 glory

    China has saddled up for a breakthrough equestrian campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

    Horse culture may have been an prominent part of farming and warfare here in ancient times, but that has so far failed to translate into Chinese success on the equestrian stage.

    A new plan, utilizing foreign-based riders and overseas training, is aimed at changing that.

    After screening over 60 candidates during a three-month global talent search, the Chinese Equestrian Association has selected England-based Olympic eventer Alex Hua Tian and US-born jumping specialist Zhu Meimei to join Chinese natives such as veteran Liu Tongyan, from Inner Mongolia, and Li Yaofeng, from Guangdong province, on an initial 17-rider squad.

    "The time is urgent and the task is tall. We have to utilize all possible resources to build a competitive team in time for good performances in Tokyo as a contribution to the sport's rejuvenation in the country," CEA chairman Zhang Xiaoning said at the team's unveiling at Equuleus Riding Club in Beijing.

    Six equestrian gold medals are up for grabs in Tokyo in individual and team events for three disciplines: dressage, jumping and eventing.

    China is targeting team competitions in jumping and eventing, hoping the specialties of Hua, Zhu, Liu and Li combine successfully.

    Born in London to a Chinese father and British mother in 1989, Hua was part of the debut Chinese equestrian team at the 2008 Beijing Games.

    He went on to become the only Chinese rider to qualify for the 2016 Rio Games, where he finished a respectable eighth in eventing.

    Having attended a series of equestrian promotions in China at the end of last year, Hua has returned to his stable in Cheshire, northwestern England, to take care of over 20 horses with his girlfriend, dressage rider Sarah Higgins, and raise funds for the 2020 campaign.

    California-born show jumper Zhu, a student of German four-time Olympic gold medalist Ludger Beerbaum, has also championed China's burgeoning equestrian scene in recent years.

    The 25-year-old has been a regular competitor at FEI jumping events in China since gaining Chinese citizenship in 2009, and last year won individual bronze at the Chinese National Games.

    Team China captain Liu reckons the fresh energy brought by Zhu can make a difference in Tokyo.

    "I think the combination of foreign and Chinese experience coupled with support in training, horse grooming, veterinary and stable management will make it possible for us to qualify for the team event in Tokyo," said the 48-year-old.

    The riders will have a chance to gel as a team while immersing themselves in equestrian culture through long-term training programs in Britain, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

    "To close the gap with the world's best in the sport we have to first stay close to them and then get used to competing side-by-side with them," said CEA chairman Zhang.

    "The overseas training programs will pave the way for our riders to advance to higher-level events in Europe and eventually earn enough qualification points for the Olympics."

    China's Olympic involvement has seen investment in the equine industry rise in recent years, with the country's affluent middle class the main customers.

    Chinese parents are increasingly signing up their kids for riding clubs. [Photo by Luo Yunfei/China News Service]

    More and more parents are encouraging their children to join riding clubs, while the sport's public profile has been enhanced by the ubiquitous presence of celebrities trying to outdo each other in the style stakes at equestrian events.

    The number of clubs increased to 1,452 by the end of 2017, with about 545 new facilities opened between 2016 and 2017, according to data from the annual China Horse Fair.

    Club memberships now total around 972,000, an annual rise of 68 percent.

    "The industry is galloping to new heights in facilities, making the sport more accessible than before for everyone interested to take part in," said Liu Lina, China's only dressage entrant at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a current national team coach.

    "Leaping off a bigger and better platform than we had in the past, I believe this group of riders will deliver us surprises in 2020."

    Most Popular

    Highlights

    What's Hot
    Top
    BACK TO THE TOP
    English
    Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
    License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

    Registration Number: 130349
    FOLLOW US
    国产精品99精品无码视亚| 最近中文字幕完整免费视频ww| 中文字幕一区二区三区在线观看| 未满十八18禁止免费无码网站| 欧美一级一区二区中文字幕 | 97免费人妻无码视频| 亚洲AV无码一区二区三区牛牛| 无码人妻少妇伦在线电影| 夜夜添无码一区二区三区| 亚洲欧美中文字幕| 日韩人妻无码精品无码中文字幕| 无码AV波多野结衣久久| 中文字字幕在线中文无码 | 日韩精品无码中文字幕一区二区| 曰韩人妻无码一区二区三区综合部 | 精品久久久久久中文字幕人妻最新| 少妇人妻无码专区视频| 野花在线无码视频在线播放| 中文亚洲日韩欧美| 人妻中文久久久久| 日韩在线中文字幕制服丝袜| 中文字幕久久欲求不满| 亚洲欧美中文日韩在线v日本 | 精品久久久久中文字| а天堂中文最新版在线| 亚洲国产精彩中文乱码AV| 中文字幕人成人乱码亚洲电影| 午夜无码一区二区三区在线观看| 精品久久久无码中文字幕天天| 成人免费无码H在线观看不卡| 精品欧洲AV无码一区二区男男| 无码午夜人妻一区二区三区不卡视频 | 精品久久无码中文字幕| 激情无码人妻又粗又大中国人| 无码日韩精品一区二区免费 | 人妻无码一区二区三区AV| 无码137片内射在线影院| 国产热の有码热の无码视频| 国产成年无码久久久久毛片| 成人无码小视频在线观看| 无码日韩精品一区二区人妻|