Team China hailed for wins, morale

Mijain Lopez Nunez of Cuba (from left), Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba of the Refugee Olympic Team, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet, Sun Yingsha of China, Emma McKeon of Australia and Teddy Riner of France pose on Sunday with their hands forming heart symbols during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. ESA ALEXANDER/REUTERS

Sun Yingsha, China's 23-year-old table tennis player who won two gold medals and one silver at the Paris Games, was again in the global limelight when she, as the representative of Asia, ceremoniously extinguished the Olympic flame on Sunday night, along with athletes from other continents, the International Olympic Committee Refugee Olympic Team, and host nation France, as well as IOC President Thomas Bach.

Thanks to her vigor, self-confidence and lovely smiles on and off the court, Sun, who won gold medals in the mixed doubles and women's team event, as well as a silver in the women's singles, has become one of the representatives of China's rising generation of athletes at the Games.

On the international stage, these athletes exemplified the spirit of contemporary Chinese sports — open-minded, confident, composed and graceful. Their conduct reflected a deep respect for both teammates and opponents, embodying the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together".

Off the field, Chinese fans and online communities have moved beyond the fixation on gold medals, offering enthusiastic applause and cheers for every athlete's effort. They celebrated victories, consoled those who fell short, and recognized the dedication of all Olympians.

Chinese athletes' sincere off-field performances have caught the attention of the international media. Agence France-Presse highlighted a touching moment from the mixed doubles table tennis award ceremony — players from China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea took a podium selfie. ROK broadcasters repeatedly aired the footage, noting the significance of this rare show of unity.

At the women's singles badminton medal ceremony, Chinese silver medalist He Bingjiao held a Spanish team pin on the podium, honoring Carolina Marin, who withdrew from the semifinals due to a knee injury. The Olympic Instagram account, with 13 million followers, praised the gesture: "That's what Olympic values are all about!"

On Aug 9, three-time Olympian Shi Zhiyong missed the podium after an injury in the men's 73kg weightlifting event. After the Chinese weightlifting team concluded its Paris campaign with five gold medals, all the gold medalists hung their medals around Shi's neck for a post-competition photo.

Shi expressed his thanks on social media platform Weibo, saying: "I'm proud to be part of such a supportive team. Thank you all. I might have the most gold medals this time."

Weibo users also offered him encouragement. One comment said, "We're no longer just about gold medals. Simply competing for the country is impressive."

During the Paris Games, one touching moment was Zhang Boheng's reaction in the men's all-around gymnastics final, where he narrowly missed gold by 0.233 points. Upon seeing the results, Zhang smiled briefly, sighed deeply and lowered his gaze, showing complex emotions.

The 24-year-old gymnastics captain competed in six events over 10 days, completing 21 routines and finishing with two silver medals and one bronze. Despite not reaching the top podium, Zhang's efforts were widely recognized.

Similarly, the Chinese women's hockey team, which won silver, and the women's rugby sevens team, which finished sixth, achieved historic milestones and received wide acclaim for their performances.

"Today's Chinese audiences value the process over just the results," said sports commentator Yang Yi. "Viewers still want to see wins, but they no longer focus solely on gold medals or judge athletes by their success or failure. There's a deeper appreciation for the challenges athletes face and the essence of sports."

Room for improvement

In the final days of the Olympics, all eyes were on whether China could surpass the United States in the gold medal tally. The suspense ended when the US won the last gold in women's basketball, leaving both nations tied with 40.

The US stood out with its strong performance in the three major ball team events — soccer, basketball and volleyball — securing gold in men's and women's basketball and women's soccer, and also winning silver in women's volleyball and bronze in men's volleyball.

In contrast, China's team sports performances were underwhelming. The women's volleyball team finished fifth and the women's basketball team ninth, while four other teams didn't even qualify for Paris.

Zhou Jinqiang, deputy head of the Chinese delegation, said at a news conference on Sunday that the performance in major ball team sports was disappointing and some events face a gap in emerging talent. He emphasized that they will promptly conduct a thorough analysis and focus on continuous improvement.

As the Olympic flag was passed to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games, preparations for the next Olympics have already begun. Team China will need to intensify its efforts and maintain a strategic focus to enhance its team sports performance.