To Win

Any Olympic athlete is under an enormous pressure to do their best, even more so any athlete from a country that is organizing the Olympics. The pressure on the Chinese athletes is unimaginable.

Recently, NY Times published an article, which describes the practice routine of the rowers in the national team. The Russian trainer of the Chinese Olympic athletes describes the expectation of his supervisors.

“Silver? It means nothing here; you might as well finish last,” Grinko said. “Coaches like me come, help them win gold medals, or we are fired.”

Gao, 25, is a typical rower here, taller than 6 feet, long-limbed and lean. She began training full time when she was 13, leaving her parents, who are vegetable farmers in Jiangxi Province, to become a javelin thrower. At 17, she was moved to rowing, just as Beijing was awarded the Games. Through an interpreter, Gao said she dreamed of becoming a fashion designer wearing high-heeled boots with hot pants and a spaghetti-strapped top. Asked about her motivation to train, Gao bit her lip.

“For fame, reputation and honor?” she said. As the interpreter spoke, Gao glanced at Grinko, who nodded in approval. Grinko said she would be a farmer if not for rowing.

China is striving to show the world the best face she can have – no doping, just medals. Even this good effort might turn out to look negative in the end. When we will see the Chinese taking most of the medals this summer, will we be honestly able to congratulate them, or will we rather think of their infamous athletic camps?

“If you are surprised at how good the Chinese have gotten, then I think you should come here and watch them train and see this place,” he said at the complex. “If you think this is not going to lead to performance, then I’m sorry, you are stupid. You are kidding yourself.”

The Chinese Olympic athletes are going to take more Olympic medals than ever before, I would bet on that with anyone. The world is going to be in awe, but with a noticeable bitterness in their voice. I can already imagine hearing statements such as: "They are robots anyway." But the truth is the Chinese Olympic athletes are most likely not robots or on drugs. They have to win more than anyone else on the world, because they are not given any other option. That is why the whole world should wish them good luck - they are not running just for gold, they are running for life.