China downplays chances
Print Edition
Chinese hopes of building on a “historic breakthrough” at the last Winter Olympics are thawing, officials said as they prepare for the Sochi Games without their star speedskater.
China clinched a respectable five gold medals, two silvers and four bronzes at Vancouver in 2010, putting the country seventh in the medal standings only two Games after winning its first winter golds.
But three of the Vancouver first places came courtesy of Wang Meng, a fiery red-haired woman speedskater who took the 500m and 1,000m titles and was part of China’s victorious 3,000m relay team.
China’s most decorated winter Olympian suffered a broken ankle just 22 days before the Sochi Games.
Yesterday she confirmed to China Central Television there was no chance she would defend her titles in Sochi.
Wang suffered a double fracture when colliding with a male teammate while training in Shanghai last week.
Asked by CCTV if there was no chance she could participate, Wang said: “Correct.”
“I think people are waiting for a miracle, which is something that could never happen,” she told the state broadcaster.
“Going to Sochi, I think... I hope my teammate could make it instead of me.”
Vice sports minister Yang Shuan said Wang’s injury is a blow to the team.
“Undoubtedly that will affect the performance of the Chinese delegation in the gold medal tally,” Yang said.
“However, the Chinese short-track speedskating team has had its morale lifted because of Wang Meng’s injury,” he insisted. “They want to compete on her behalf.”
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