Top 10 Chinese athletes in 2008
Following are the top 10 Chinese athletes in the year of 2008
selected by Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday:
1. Guo Jingjing (diving)
The 26-year-old retained the titles in the 3-meter springboard and
synchronized springboard (with partner Wu Minxia) events at the Beijing
Olympic Games, making her the most decorated female diver with six
career medals in four Olympics.
2. Liu Zige (swimming)
Liu, 19, won China's only swimming gold medal in the Beijing Olympic
Games. She broke the world record of the women's 200 meters butterfly en
route to the Olympic champion.
3. Zhang Juanjuan
(archery)
Zhang, 27, broke one of the Olympics' tightest strangleholds by
upsetting South Korean defending champion Park Sung-Hyun 110-109 to win
China's first ever Olympic archery gold. South Korea had been unbeatable
since 1984 in the women's individual event.
4. Zhang Yining
(table tennis)
The 26-year-old led the Chinese team to the women's team title at the
Beijing Olympics and then successfully defended her singles crown,
increasing her Olympic gold haul to four. She was also one of the
members of China's winning team in the 49th world team championships.
5. Zhong Man (fencing)
The 25-year-old became China's first male Olympic fencing champion by
winning the men's sabre individual event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Games. He was also the first man from Asia to win a gold medal in the
sport.
6. Zou Shiming (boxing)
China's first ever Olympic boxing champion. The 27-year-old won the
48kg gold on the last day's competition of the Beijing Olympic Games.
7. Yang Wei (gymnastics)
Yang, a member of the winning team in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games,
led China back to the top of the podium in Beijing, avenging their
humiliating defeat in Athens four years ago. The 28-year-old went on to
take the all-around gold.
8. Yin Jian (sailing)
China's first Olympic sailing gold medalist. Yin, 29, won the women's
RS:X in the Beijing Olympics.
9. Du Jian
(Paralympic swimming)
The 24-year-old won China's first gold medal at the Beijing
Paralympic Games. He went on to win another three gold in the men's S3
class.
10. Cering Wangmo
(mountaineering)
The 21-year-old Tibetan woman mountain climber was the last torch
bearer who took the Olympic flame to the top of Mount Qomolangma, summit
of world's highest mountain, on May 8.
- BEIJING, Xinhua |
