Rowing coaching guru tips a bright future for China

RIZHAO, Shandong province: Before the Beijing Olympics, Igor Grinko, coach of the national rowing team, described Chinese rowers as "slow but strong like elephants" and "more soldiers than athletes".

One year later, having helped China claim its first Olympic gold medal in rowing at last year's Games, the veteran coach believes the future of the sport in this country is bright.

"When I first came to China the coaches just told me to push, push and push, 'you just tell them what to do'. But good athletes should be self-motivated and use their brains," Grinko told China Daily at the National Games in Rizhao, where he is instructing the Shanghai team during a break from his coaching duties with the national squad.