Beyond the podium: Xi's emphasis on sportsmanship

The results of competitive sports are certainly important, but the process is often more significant. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized this during his meetings with athletes, encouraging them to strive for excellence not just in competition, but also in morals and sportsmanship.

"We do not measure a hero's worth by wins and losses but heroes must dare to compete and strive for the first place," said Xi during a meeting with the Chinese delegation to the Rio Olympics in 2016, adding that "those who dare to overcome and surpass themselves, even if they do not win gold medals, also deserve respect and praise".

Xi's words deeply elucidate the dialectical relationship in the Olympics of pursuing "Faster, Higher, Stronger" while also advocating the importance of participation.

Shortly after the closing of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Xi had a cordial meeting with representatives of the sports community in Shaanxi province. Among the crowd, Xi immediately recognized the returning hero, "Asian Flying Man" Su Bingtian, and encouraged him by saying, "Although you did not win a medal, the value of your performance is no less than that of a gold medal. You broke the men's 100-meter Asian record."