Guo to fill in for injured Teng in gymnastic team
Source: Agencies |
July 27, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
DEFENDING Olympic champion China is replacing a member of its men's team after 2004 pommel horse gold medalist Teng Haibin tore a muscle in his left forearm.
Teng was replaced by Guo Weiyang, a member of last year's squad for the world championships, according to the International Gymnastics Federation. Guo was flying to London from Northern Ireland, where China had its pre-Olympic training camp.
The men's competition begins tomorrow.
Teng injured his arm during training camp. The Chinese hoped he'd still be able to compete, and he practiced on Wednesday with his forearm wrapped in a heavy bandage. But he struggled on each of the four events he did, falling at least four times alone on the pommel horse, his specialty. He could be seen massaging his arm between routines, and grimaced when he tried to push himself into a handstand on high bar.
The Chinese had barely left The O2 Arena when his withdrawal was announced.
Meanwhile, China played down expectations that it will top the medals table for the second Olympics running.
Deputy chef de mission Xiao Tian said statistics showed previous Games hosts shed an average of 32 percent of their gold medals at the next Olympics - meaning China would probably fall back behind the United States.
"In Beijing we were the host country so we had 51 gold medals and 100 medals in total. Here, we're not the host country," he said yesterday. "We made a calculation: in five past Olympics, the previous host country had a reduction of 32 percent in gold medals and medals overall.
"Therefore I don't think we'll have the same amount of medals as in Beijing. But the Chinese delegation will do its best to get its best results."
China outstripped the United States, table-toppers for the previous three Olympics, by 15 gold medals in 2008 as it became the Games' most successful nation for the first time.
According to Xiao, China's biggest weakness is in ball sports despite selecting NBA basketball player Yi Jianlian as its flag-bearer. It is contesting all sports apart from football, handball and the equestrian events. "For the time being it will be very difficult to have a medal in basketball or in any ball games. That's our weakness," he admitted.
Teng was replaced by Guo Weiyang, a member of last year's squad for the world championships, according to the International Gymnastics Federation. Guo was flying to London from Northern Ireland, where China had its pre-Olympic training camp.
The men's competition begins tomorrow.
Teng injured his arm during training camp. The Chinese hoped he'd still be able to compete, and he practiced on Wednesday with his forearm wrapped in a heavy bandage. But he struggled on each of the four events he did, falling at least four times alone on the pommel horse, his specialty. He could be seen massaging his arm between routines, and grimaced when he tried to push himself into a handstand on high bar.
The Chinese had barely left The O2 Arena when his withdrawal was announced.
Meanwhile, China played down expectations that it will top the medals table for the second Olympics running.
Deputy chef de mission Xiao Tian said statistics showed previous Games hosts shed an average of 32 percent of their gold medals at the next Olympics - meaning China would probably fall back behind the United States.
"In Beijing we were the host country so we had 51 gold medals and 100 medals in total. Here, we're not the host country," he said yesterday. "We made a calculation: in five past Olympics, the previous host country had a reduction of 32 percent in gold medals and medals overall.
"Therefore I don't think we'll have the same amount of medals as in Beijing. But the Chinese delegation will do its best to get its best results."
China outstripped the United States, table-toppers for the previous three Olympics, by 15 gold medals in 2008 as it became the Games' most successful nation for the first time.
According to Xiao, China's biggest weakness is in ball sports despite selecting NBA basketball player Yi Jianlian as its flag-bearer. It is contesting all sports apart from football, handball and the equestrian events. "For the time being it will be very difficult to have a medal in basketball or in any ball games. That's our weakness," he admitted.
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