Topic: CHINESE FEEDER SYSTEM - Interview

[Rachel Crass]

First a note on our interpreter, 17 year-old Eileen Pang:

Eileen, while not a lifter herself, displays schoolgirl excitement and enthusiasm in everything she does. Ambitious, a go-getter. This young lady's got her eye on the ball and has the potential to be a tremendous asset to up-and-coming weightlifters. She's a true fan of the sport and displays none of the jaded, jagged, politically-motivated edges so pervasive in our sport (admittedly including at times Yours Truly).

I've worked closely with Eileen over the past few days (and nights), and I tell you, her enthusiasm is an inspiringly warm reminder of why we pry ourselves out of bed to do what we do everyday. Make no mistake, stress and tempers certainly run high at times in this line of work. But we're all here for one reason--the athletes--and Eileen's upbeat, bright outlook and perspective have certainly helped to keep us on track and focused on the task at hand. I cannot thank her enough for simply being herself and couldn't ask for a better "local" with which to be assigned.

Now onto the goods:

Yesterday, 2 Chinese lifters, CHEN Xiaoting (53 kg) and MAO Chen (62 kg) swept Day 2's podiums. As I was the only member of the press to have any weightlifting experience, I stuck with the "How do you feel about your win?" type of questions. Today, though, I pulled them aside for more of a weightlifter's interview.

In a sentence: They re-wrote everything I thought about the Chinese system.

The children are selected at young ages to go to sports schools, which we all already knew. But that's about where my (correct) knowledge stopped. At these schools, children train for general sport. A little speed, strength, agility...general sports development-type exercises and activities. Their academic schoolwork is interspliced with their training.

Between the ages of 9-10, coaches filter the athletes into specialized sports programs. Some kids are gymnasts. Others are weightlifters. Still others are divers, etc. Neither Chen nor Mao chose weightlifting. Their coach chose them, and they became weightlifters. And yesterday they became World Champions.

Each Chinese state has its own sports schools, with the best athletes from each going to live and train at the National Sports School in Beijing. It's like a mini Olympic Village, with all of the sports represented. In the U.S., we have several National-level training facilities (Colorado Springs, Chula Vista, Park City, NMU, etc). In China, they have one.

Can you imagine America's best swimmers, throwers, sprinters, weightlifters, wrestlers, cyclists, etc. living and training together 365 days a year? They aren't there for camps. They live there. Train there. Everyday. They don't go home. They are allowed to see their family once a year. They spend Christmases, New Years together....Their sporting family serves as a replacement for their biological family.

When asked what happens when they get hurt, Chen and Mao did say that they have doctors who help them recover and perform any necessary surgeries, but if you're no longer good, you are kicked out of the program. If Chen can no longer compete well, there are other 53s who can take her place.

I got very much of an "assembly line" feel from what Chen and Mao were telling me.

When pressed about what they will do after they can no longer lift, both said that they were taking education courses between training sessions. Most Chinese athletes take business courses and go into entry level corporate jobs or open their own athletic gyms when they retire.

Dating and marriage are generally not tolerated. In fact, one gets the sense that these lifters have never even entertained the idea of a relationship. I'm curious to find out how many female Chinese weightlifters go on to have children at all.

In short, I'm somewhat saddened by the news of the Chinese system. I knew it was state-sponsored and regimented, but the truth had me struggling to maintain composure when talking to these young athletes.

So far, China has won all 5 weight classes contested at these World Junior Weightlifting Championships. Perhaps now we know why.

Rachel

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

What a horrific system of tyranny. To turn a sport into a concentration camp, athletes into cannon fodder, and all subsidized by stolen money from the "taxpayers" (slaves)...

They can have their worthless medals. Life is more valuable.

[Andy Dick]

Well at least we can look forward to if things keep progressing as they are in our country that too can be us soon.  Wait they will figure out a way to botch that system up too; that is of course unless China owns us first with all the US bonds they possess.

[ViKtoricus]

Holy crap. This is worse than the Bulgarian system.

[squatZ]

My parents are from China and quite frankly I find the hate on here offensive. A bunch of arrogant never-been jealous average people hating on the elite due to an inferiority complex mixed with a little bit of racism. It's obvious that no matter what country you are from, you have to make sacrifices in your life to be the very best in the world at something. Perhaps if you guys understood this you wouldn't be doing so badly. Also, what do you guys thinks happens to elite athletes in any country when they are no longer able to be competitive? It is true not all of us are born with elite genetics and have access to expert training program/facilities, but this does not mean you should be hating on those who are and have chosen to take up that life, unless you are an ugly hater person.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

I am an equal opportunity authoritarianism-hater, and all authoritarians have the right to be offended. ;)

[Rachel Crass]

I wasn't aware that 5 year-old children choose that life. My 5 year-old sorta likes seeing her family and playing games outside. But hey, guess ya learn something new every day, right?

[Andy Dick]

Wait I am confused by this...

A bunch of arrogant never-been jealous average people hating on the elite due to an inferiority complex mixed with a little bit of racism.

What was said that was a little bit racist?  I never saw any hating on the Chinese people, I saw hating on the system/government system.

It's obvious that no matter what country you are from, you have to make sacrifices in your life to be the very best in the world at something. Perhaps if you guys understood this you wouldn't be doing so badly.

Show me where the sacrifice is?  I will use the dictionary to clarify my point and my question.

According to Merriam Webster:
Sacrifice: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.

A surrender is something given up by will of the person who possesses it.

The children are selected at young ages to go to sports schools, which we all already knew. But that's about where my (correct) knowledge stopped. At these schools, children train for general sport...

Between the ages of 9-10, coaches filter the athletes into specialized sports programs...

When asked what happens when they get hurt, Chen and Mao did say that they have doctors who help them recover and perform any necessary surgeries, but if you're no longer good, you are kicked out of the program. If Chen can no longer compete well, there are other 53s who can take her place.

I got very much of an "assembly line" feel from what Chen and Mao were telling me.

As Rachel said where is the child’s choice in the matter?

According to Merriam Webster:

One Definition:
Slavery: the state of a person who is a chattel (defined: an item of tangible movable or immovable property) of another
Property: the exclusive right to possess, enjoy, and dispose of a thing

Or

Another Definition:
Slavery: submission to a dominating influence
Dominate: rule or control
Or
Dominate: to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on

This looks like it pretty much sums up the situation to me

If this was what it takes to be the greatest think I would take my chances with freedom and mediocrity