China turns to Hermens in search of track glory
Source: Agencies |
February 17, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AFTER helping to turn Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele into Olympic champions, track manager Jos Hermens now has been hired to do likewise with China.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, China topped the overall gold medal standings. But in athletics, the country won just two bronze medals, trailing countries like Belgium and Panama.
In comparison, Hermens' athletes alone won nine medals.
The Dutchman has his work cut out, especially since the London Olympics are little more than a year away. "Olympic Games are everything and China targets everything toward that," Hermens said. "London will be difficult, but some things can be done, in women's marathon (with world champion Bai Xue) and long distance."
Hermens is already looking to take some of the Chinese long-distance runners to Ethiopia for training with local athletes and nurture them for two to three months.
"They would fit in perfectly," he said.
China's track record, however, is largely defined by Liu Xiang, who won the 110-meter hurdles at the 2004 Athens Games for China's first and only Olympic athletics gold. But Liu has been struggling with a long-standing injury to his right foot.
Hermens was involved in some belated attempts to get Liu treated and it also showed him what he will be up against for the next year as he tries to turn the program around.
"One of the problems is fear for taking responsibility," Hermens said. "If you take the wrong decision, you get pushed down. You take no decision, no mistake.
"They could have operated much earlier," he said. "Nobody dared take a decision."
In that sense, much has to change, according to Hermens.
Once a long-distance runner himself, and much longer one of the world's most influential track managers, Hermens will be counted on to set up contacts for China's top talents, be it in coaching, medical expertise or with meet organizers.
He has already taken care of bringing Liu to Karlsruhe, Germany, to give him some winter meet experience. The Shanghai native came in third behind David Oliver in the 60-meter hurdles last Sunday.
Hermens plans to take the best Chinese athletes outside their country to give them the international experience they often lack.
But in China, too, things need to change, he said.
China's gymnastics program is often seen as the mold for all sports. Scientific detection of talent during childhood, ruthless elimination until only the prime survives and relentless training until gold follows.
"We think it is all so great with the sports schools in China but in athletics, it is a bit of a struggle and far from being as organized as we might think," he said.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, China topped the overall gold medal standings. But in athletics, the country won just two bronze medals, trailing countries like Belgium and Panama.
In comparison, Hermens' athletes alone won nine medals.
The Dutchman has his work cut out, especially since the London Olympics are little more than a year away. "Olympic Games are everything and China targets everything toward that," Hermens said. "London will be difficult, but some things can be done, in women's marathon (with world champion Bai Xue) and long distance."
Hermens is already looking to take some of the Chinese long-distance runners to Ethiopia for training with local athletes and nurture them for two to three months.
"They would fit in perfectly," he said.
China's track record, however, is largely defined by Liu Xiang, who won the 110-meter hurdles at the 2004 Athens Games for China's first and only Olympic athletics gold. But Liu has been struggling with a long-standing injury to his right foot.
Hermens was involved in some belated attempts to get Liu treated and it also showed him what he will be up against for the next year as he tries to turn the program around.
"One of the problems is fear for taking responsibility," Hermens said. "If you take the wrong decision, you get pushed down. You take no decision, no mistake.
"They could have operated much earlier," he said. "Nobody dared take a decision."
In that sense, much has to change, according to Hermens.
Once a long-distance runner himself, and much longer one of the world's most influential track managers, Hermens will be counted on to set up contacts for China's top talents, be it in coaching, medical expertise or with meet organizers.
He has already taken care of bringing Liu to Karlsruhe, Germany, to give him some winter meet experience. The Shanghai native came in third behind David Oliver in the 60-meter hurdles last Sunday.
Hermens plans to take the best Chinese athletes outside their country to give them the international experience they often lack.
But in China, too, things need to change, he said.
China's gymnastics program is often seen as the mold for all sports. Scientific detection of talent during childhood, ruthless elimination until only the prime survives and relentless training until gold follows.
"We think it is all so great with the sports schools in China but in athletics, it is a bit of a struggle and far from being as organized as we might think," he said.
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