China, known as a diving superpower, has earned bragging rights for its "bicycle kingdom "status as well, landing historic gold with a victory on two wheels at the Paris Olympics.

Competing in elite sports involves athletes defying gravity quite often, though perhaps few of Deng Yawen's peers have dazzled with the same level of complication as she did on her bike on Wednesday in Paris.

With bar spins, high-flying flips and then the killer trick of double tail whips — twice, no less — the Chinese favorite Deng, a runner-up in qualifications, brought oohs and aahs from the crowd at the La Concorde in the heart of Paris. She executed her second run almost flawlessly to score a field-high 92.6 points and finish on top of the podium in the BMX freestyle park final.

It was China's first Olympic gold medal in the young urban sport, which made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, and its third across all cycling disciplines overall, following two golds in the women's track cycling team sprint at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Overwhelmed with pride and joy, Deng, in a post-final interview, expressed appreciation for all the support from her coaches, and she thanked association officials. The athlete even thanked herself for making a bold decision seven years ago.

"Looking back, and regardless of what the future holds, definitely it was the best decision of my life," said Deng, a junior track and field athlete who chose to join the new Chinese BMX freestyle program in 2017.

"As uncertainly risky as it looked back then, it has paved the way to where I am now. And I really appreciate myself for making that bold switch at that time and all the hard work I've put in on the way," said Deng, an 18-year-old native of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Perris Benegas of the United States won silver with 90.7 points from her second run, while Australian rider Natalya Diehm settled for bronze with an 88.8-point first run.

Freestyle park in BMX, or "bicycle motocross", involves athletes riding across a park course set up with jumps, ramps and rails to perform wheel spins, flips and tail whips, among other tricks, within 60 seconds in each run. The Olympic final features the top eight from qualification rounds and ranks riders by their best run out of two attempts.

Deng set the tone with an impressive 92.5 in her first run, building an early lead in the field. But she had to deliver under pressure in her second, after Benegas scored 90.7 points in her second run to gain on Deng, and Deng's teammate Sun Jiaqi fell on both her runs.

Deng rose to the occasion, holding her nerve to improve her score to 92.6 points in the second attempt to secure the gold amid rousing cheers at the iconic Parisian square.

Her breakthrough followed Wednesday morning's golden start in the diving pool to keep the whole Chinese delegation pumped up for more success in Paris.

China's diving super-teen team of 17-year-old Quan Hongchan and 18-year-old Chen Yuxi kept the diving "dream team" on course for a clean sweep of all eight golds in Paris by winning the squad's third in women's synchronized 10-meter platform in the morning session.

Team China has now won every single gold medal — seven in a row — in this event since its Olympic inclusion at Sydney 2000. The world champions pair put their collective pursuit of perfection on full display by finishing five rounds of dives, all in optimal "rip entry", a delicate entry that appears splashless and has been mastered by China's elite divers.

Jo Jin Mi and Kim Mi Rae of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea won silver, the nation's first ever diving medal at the Olympics, while British pair Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson completed the podium at third.

"Everything is close to perfection," Spendolini-Sirieix said of her Chinese rivals after the final. "They are the best of the best. I'm always clapping just watching their dives. They go in the water like they are sleeping."

A day after the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the French Culture Center in Beijing held a showcase event for celebration. At the event, the French Ambassador to China, Bertrand Lortholary, said this year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, with athletes from both countries holding hands to compete in the Paris Olympic Games, showing the friendship between the two countries.

Click the video to learn more.

China's freestyle swimmer Pan Zhanle has thanked a scientific training program for his world record-breaking feat at the Paris Olympics as the country celebrates its first men's Olympic swimming gold medal in a sprint event.

Entering Wednesday's final session under huge pressure to end China's gold medal drought in the Paris pool, the 19-year-old sent the capacity crowd at the La Defense Arena into a frenzy by clocking 46.40 seconds in the 100m freestyle final, to deliver the team a long-anticipated gold and take an incredible 0.4 seconds off his own previous world record time.

It was the first world record broken in any swimming competition at the Paris Games, and has significantly lifted the Chinese team's spirit following a series of near-misses of the podium top spot in earlier events.

Pan's record-breaking performance on Wednesday came after having completed a rigorous doping test program, prior to and during the Paris Games, with zero positive results, which has sent out a strong statement on the improvement and integrity of Chinese swimmers.

"I just swam the race perfectly today and made a strong impression for Chinese swimming. I hope this gold could boost the morale of the whole team," Pan said at the post-final news conference.

"For myself, I haven't come to terms with it yet," Pan said of the gold medal's significance for his career. "My life goes on, for sure, and I will continue training and swimming.

"But for Chinese swimming and for my country, I think it's huge to prove that Chinese athletes could also prevail in another event (other than traditional strong disciplines) in swimming."

A young talent specifically strong in his final split push, Pan made his presence felt at February's world championships in Doha by setting his previous world record of 46.80 seconds in his stunning leadoff leg in China's gold-winning men's 4x100m relay.

Australia's Kyle Chalmers finished 1.08 seconds behind Pan in Paris to win silver, while former world record holder David Popovici of Romania finished a further 0.01 seconds back and had to settle for a bronze medal.

Asked how he managed to achieve such a consistent improvement, Pan said it is all about hard working honestly under the right guidance.

"I took 21 doping tests from May to July prior to the Games and had no positive results at all. It was no big deal as long as the testing was conducted fairly and according to rules. I cooperated with all the testing and stay confident that I am competing fair and clean," Pan said.

"As far as my daily training routine, I didn't focus too much on speed training on my program. I did a lot of aerobics and endurance training to strengthen my push and kick in the final split.

"We have also been adopting a scientific underwater monitoring and analyzing system to review our techniques and strokes, so that we could train better and more effectively," he said.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

China justified its status as the 'bicycle kingdom' with a historic Olympic gold medal in the women's freestyle BMX park competition on Wednesday.

Competing in elite sports can often involve athletes defying the pull of gravity, and few people have done it in quite such dazzlingly complicated fashion as Deng Yawen.

Pulling off a range of bar spins, high-flying flips and then the killer trick of double tail whips – twice – the 18-year-old, who was second placed in qualifying, had the crowd at the Place de la Concorde in the heart of Paris gasping as she executed her second run almost flawlessly, to score a field-high 92.6 points and finish on top of the podium.

It was China's first Olympic gold medal in the young, urban sport, which only made its Games debut at Tokyo 2020, and its third across all cycling disciplines, to go with the two golds in the women's track cycling team sprint, won at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Beaming with pride, in her post-final interview, Deng thanked her coaches and association officials for their support, and also thanked her younger self for making a bold decision seven years ago.

"Looking back and regardless of what the future holds, definitely it was the best decision in my life," said Deng, a junior track and field athlete who chose to join the newly-built Chinese BMX freestyle program in 2017.

"As uncertainly risky as it looked back then, it has paved way to where I am now. And I really appreciate myself for making that bold switch at that time and all the hard work has paid off," said the athlete from Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Perris Benegas of the United States took the silver medal with 90.7 points from her second run, while Australian rider Natalya Diehm won bronze for her 88.8-point first run.

The freestyle event in BMX park, which is short for bicycle motocross, involves athletes riding across a park course set up with jumps, ramps and rails to perform wheel spins, flips, tail whips, among other tricks, within a 60-second timeframe on each run.

The Olympic final features the top eight from qualification rounds and ranks riders by each of their best runs out of two attempts.

Deng set the tone scoring an impressive 92.5 in her first run, building an early lead in the field, yet had to deliver under pressure in her second, after Benegas scored 90.7 points in her second run to close the gap, and Deng's teammate Sun Jiaqi fell on her both runs.

But Deng rose to the occasion, holding her nerve on her second attempt to improve her score to 92.6 points, securing the gold medal amid rousing cheers at the iconic Parisian square.

Deng's breakthrough, following a gold medal won by Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan in women's synchronized 10m platform diving on Wednesday morning, has lifted the whole Chinese delegation and kept it pumped up for more success to come in Paris.

China's world No 1 men's paddler Wang Chuqin has played down the impact of a forced racquet change on his unexpected opening loss in the singles tournament at the Paris Olympics.

Entering the singles draw from Tuesday's mixed doubles final win with partner Sun Yingsha, Wang's highly anticipated golden run in singles was derailed abruptly by perhaps the biggest upset across all sports at the Games on Wednesday after he lost to Sweden's Truls Moregard 4-2 in the round of 32 at the South Paris Arena.

Wang's shocking defeat has caused an uproar in Chinese social media, with his huge legion of fans fuming at a group of photographers who rushed onto the court to capture his victory celebration with Sun following Tuesday's mixed doubles win and stepping over his paddle left aside the court, breaking it into two pieces.

Wang had to use his backup paddle as a replacement on Wednesday, yet he reiterated that wasn't the excuse for his subpar performance in the singles.

"It was just my poor performance and bad adjustment between different sets today that should be blamed for the loss. The paddle is the same. It's also mine as well. So I won't say it had a big impact at all," Wang said after the match in the mixed zone.

Moregard, a 22-year-old world No 26, sank to his knees in disbelief before taking a victory tour to acknowledge the cheering crowd, who rose in appreciation for his giant-killing performance at the packed arena.

"I was playing fantastic table tennis. I stuck to my plan that I had, and I really believed in it. I continued even if I lost two games in the middle. I played fantastic table tennis and it was really, really good," Moregard said.

"I'm in complete shock. I'm just super happy and will try to recover as fast as I can."

PARIS -- Chinese divers Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan eased to the women's synchronized 10m platform title at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

Having paired up to win three times in a row in this event at the World Championships, Chen and Quan dominated the final on Wednesday to take the victory with 359.10 points.

The teenage duo helped China grab its seventh straight gold in this event at the Olympics.

CHATEAUROUX, France - Qi Ying won China's first Olympic medal in men's trap after finishing second in the final behind Nathan Hales of Britain here on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old made 44 hits in the final, but not enough to beat world record holder Hales, who took the gold medal with an Olympic record of 48 hits.

"It's absolutely amazing. I enjoyed every second of it. It's a great competition," said the 28-year-old Briton, who competed amid loud cheers from the crowd that included his parents, partner Charlotte Kerwood, also a shotgun shooter, and their two children.

Qi survived seven round of shoot-off against Hales under the scorching sun to top the qualification where four athletes made 123 hits.

Coming into the final, Qi was trailing by one hit 23 to 24 behind Hales after 25 targets in the first stage, and his two misses in the second series of the elimination stage enabled his British counterpart to have a two-hit cushion with 15 shots left, and his hope of catching up was dashed as Hales made three perfect series to seal his victory.

"Generally I think I was doing well. I made some mistakes in the final, and the result was a little bit lower than my expectation," said Qi, who was making his Olympic debut. "My goal was to finish in top three at the Paris Olympics, and I hope to change the color to gold in the future."

Winner Hales, who had beaten Qi to second at the World Cup in Lonato del Garda in 2023, spoke highly of his Chinese rival.

"He is a great competitor. We had a close battle in Italy last year as well. It's great to battle again," he commented.

Jean Pierre Brol of Guatemala bagged the bronze, representing the first medal for the Central American country at Paris 2024 and only the second Olympic medal in Guatemala's history.

"I'm so excited. If I talk too much, I'll begin to cry. It was very hard and very hot. This is a great thing for my country," said Brol.

PARIS - High temperatures and high emotions were the order of the day at Roland Garros on the fourth day of tennis action at Paris 2024 on Tuesday.

Women's sixth seed Zheng Qinwen of China had to dig deep in a grueling three-hour match to overcome American 11th seed Emma Navarro 6-7, 7-6, 6-1.

"I never fought so hard like this," Zheng admitted. "[I] spent the most effort, most mental strength and most physical. That's so special because I don't fight for myself, I fight for China. There's so much of the crowd cheering for me, Chinese people, some of them. We don't like the sun and they're yelling for me, and they're under the sun same as me and I feel very cheered up. I didn't fight alone on court today."

In the opening set, Navarro came back from a break down to take the first in a tiebreak after fighting off multiple set points. In the second set, Navarro led 5-3 and even had a match point, but Zheng fought back to force a tiebreak, eventually winning the set 7-6.

As the heat rose, so did the tension between the two players. Navarro grew frustrated with Zheng slowing the rate of play down in between points to manage the heat and sweat. Zheng was forced to shout at her raucous support to quieten down before serves. The final set saw Zheng take control, breaking Navarro's first two serves and cruising to a 6-1 victory. Zheng's performance included 12 aces and 33 winners, despite 49 unforced errors, while Navarro managed 3 aces and 19 winners.

Zheng's quarterfinal opponent, Angelique Kerber, continued her impressive farewell run by defeating 16th-seeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. This marks her first quarterfinal appearance in over two years. Kerber, who announced she will retire after the Games, broke serve six times and hit 22 winners in a dominant performance.

Women's top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland eased past China's Wang Xiyu 6-3, 6-4 to confidently qualify for the quarterfinals. Wang, who defeated 15th seed Diana Shnaider in the previous round, faced a mammoth task to knock over a second seeded player in as many days. Holding her serve well while putting Swiatek under pressure on her service game, Wang stood firm until game six when the Pole stepped on the accelerator to break the Chinese twice and win four consecutive games. Shellshocked, Wang was again immediately broken in the first game of the second, before Swiatek held on to advance.

Once again, fans flocked to see the King of Clay and his heir apparent as Spain's all-star line-up of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz were taken to a third set tie-break by the hardworking Dutch duo of Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof, winning 6-4, 6-7, 10-2 in the men's doubles. Both pairs were very strong on their own service game, with Nadal and Alcaraz getting the only break point of the match in the seventh game of the first set.

In the mixed doubles, China's Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Yinyu came from a set down to win a third set tie-break 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 against the tough Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Thiago Seyboth Wild. In the first set, Zhang/Wang suffered from a number of unforced errors and perfectly placed Brazilian winners as they were broken twice. However, both Zhang and Wang began to find their rhythm in the second set before holding on in the third set tie-break.

Coco Gauff, Team USA's Olympic opening ceremony flag bearer, exited the women's singles competition after losing 7-6, 6-2 to Croatia's Donna Vekic. Gauff, who had looked strong in the first two rounds, still has chances in doubles and mixed doubles. Emotions boiled to the surface in the punishing Parisian summer heat when an out call was overruled, awarding a crucial point to Vekic at a critical juncture. Gauff argued with the chair umpire and tournament supervisor, expressing frustration and appearing to cry while saying, "I feel like I'm getting cheated constantly in this game." Despite getting to 0-40 on Vekic's serve in the next game, Gauff couldn't capitalize, and Vekic extended her lead to 5-2. Ultimately, a rattled Gauff was broken easily, allowing the recent Wimbledon semifinalist Vekic to advance.

Reigning Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev hit 24 winners as he advanced to the third round by defeating Czech player Tomas Machac 6-3, 7-5.

British men's number one Jack Draper lost 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 2-6 to American Taylor Fritz in the Paris heat, ending Britain's interest in the Olympic singles. Draper started strongly but failed to capitalize on break points in the second set, ultimately wilting in the high temperatures.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova won a thrilling match against Elina Svitolina, securing a 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4 victory to reach the quarterfinals. The No 9 seed from the Czech Republic took 2 hours and 48 minutes to overcome the Ukrainian flagbearer and 2021 Olympic bronze medalist. Krejcikova, who has won 10 consecutive tour-level singles matches, continued her strong form after winning her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, Jasmine Paolini, the Wimbledon runner-up, was upset by Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Ranked world No 67, Schmiedlova is Slovakia's sole tennis representative at this year's Olympics and advanced to the quarterfinals.

HONG KONG — Twelve-year-old Hong Kong fencing beginner Lloyd found a new role model over the weekend — "Sword Queen" Vivian Kong Man-wai, who clawed back a 7-1 deficit in the women's epee final to win Olympic gold in Paris.

"I woke up to the pleasant surprise of Vivian Kong (winning)," Lloyd told reporters on Monday at a fencing school in the Central district of Hong Kong, China.

On Saturday, the 30-year-old Kong became only the third Hong Kong athlete in history to have a gold medal draped around her neck after beating France's Auriane Mallo-Breton in front of a fiercely partisan crowd at the Paris Games.

She won 13-12 in the most thrilling fashion, a final, sudden-death point securing victory in the nail-biting contest, after it finished tied at 12-12 after regulation time.

"It was very inspiring. It was just very nice to see the spirit she had," said Lloyd before starting his fencing class.

"She did not give up, she kept having to climb her way up. She chased the challenge and managed to get the gold medal," he said. "I was very happy for Hong Kong."

Later on Monday, in Paris, fellow fencer Cheung Ka-long took home the gold medal in the final bout of the men's individual foil — successfully defending the title he won at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

Kong joins Cheung and windsurfer Lee Lai-shan at Atlanta 1996 as Hong Kong's only Olympic champions.

Kong, a graduate of Stanford University in the United States, has battled back twice from torn cruciate ligaments, one in each knee, to rise to world No 1 and achieve Olympic glory.

In a tearful post-match interview at the Grand Palais — a 124-year-old exhibition hall that Paris transformed into an Olympic venue — Kong said that fencing "in such a beautiful palace was one of my dreams".

"I didn't want to lose so miserably," she said about her fightback from the six-point deficit.

"I didn't want to give up without demonstrating the Hong Kong spirit in my fight."

The impact of Kong's win was immediate, said Lau Kwok-kin, a retired Olympian who now teaches fencing at the school where Lloyd trains in a class of about six youngsters, only one of which is a girl.

Lau said that the school has received more calls from parents of young girls since Kong's victory.

"Vivian Kong being a woman athlete has, perhaps, enabled some parents to see the possibility of their girls winning an Olympic medal," Lau said.

Lau was the first fencer to represent Hong Kong at the Olympics — competing in 2004 and 2008 — and the 47-year-old attributed Kong's success to the systematic training provided by the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

The government-funded body also provides athletes with better financial support than in the past.

"Back then we didn't have much time for training, and we often did it after class or work, when we were already tired," Lau said.

"But now, being an athlete is a full-time job."

Lau added that the training plan for an elite athlete now covers "everything from retreat, practicing competition techniques and physical conditioning".

"It is a much more professional model than what we had before — that's why the performances are now better."

Lau said that the city could uncover more talent if "satellite training bases" outside the Hong Kong Sports Institute could be set up around the city, and if parents could lend more support.

Lloyd, who attends classes three times a week since taking up the sport a year ago, said he "most definitely" wants to be fencing more, but school work takes up a lot of time.

"I still hold fencing very high in my priorities, (but) I might have to cut down on how much I can do in a week, because I have tests to study and prepare for," he said.

AFP

Novak Djokovic crushed Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-4 in their blockbuster Olympics clash on Monday as the two titans met for the 60th and possibly final time.

The showdown between the two most successful men's tennis players in history appeared to be fizzling out, before Nadal staged a late fightback to avoid his heaviest-ever defeat by Djokovic.

"I'm very relieved," said Djokovic. "Everything was going my way, I was 6-1, 4-0 up, but I played a sloppy service game and gave him chances."

It was 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic's 31st win in a rivalry that began on the same clay of Roland Garros in 2006.

"You could feel the tension coming into the match, but also the incredible hype, the incredible atmosphere on the court," said Djokovic.

"I never thought, back in 2006, that we'd still be playing each other almost 20 years later."

Nadal admitted Djokovic was the "clear favorite" ahead of their first clash in more than two years, with the Spaniard a shadow of the player who reigned for the best part of two decades at Roland Garros.

While 14 of Nadal's 22 Grand Slams have come in Paris, the 38-year-old has been plagued by injuries in recent years, and he has slumped to 161st in the world.

His participation in the singles in Paris had been in doubt until the last minute.

Djokovic, too, has not had a good season by his high standards, but the 37-year-old Serb rose to the occasion in his pursuit of an elusive Olympic gold.

The top seed raced into a 5-0 lead before Nadal finally got on the board, but Djokovic closed out the set and surged 4-0 ahead in the second. That was when Nadal finally offered some resistance.

Nadal clawed his way back to 4-4, only for Djokovic to break once more, this time making no mistake as he put away his old foe, and perhaps brought down the curtain on one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport.

"When this tournament is over, I will take the necessary decisions based on my feelings and desire," Nadal said regarding his future in tennis.

Djokovic, a bronze medalist on his Olympic debut in 2008, goes on to face Dominik Koepfer of Germany for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Nadal will turn his focus to the doubles, where he is in a "dream team" pairing with compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz, the reigning men's French Open and Wimbledon champion, saw off Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 7-6 (3) after saving a set point and receiving treatment for an apparent upper leg injury.

Russian, Roman Safiullin will be his next opponent.

Unstoppable Swiatek

Women's world No 1 Iga Swiatek took another step on her quest for gold by powering into the third round.

Swiatek, tested in her opening match under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier, enjoyed a far more straightforward outing in the bright sunshine on Monday.

The four-time French Open champion underlined her status as the heavy favorite in Paris, swatting home hope Diane Parry aside 6-1, 6-1 to set up a meeting with China's Wang Xiyu for a place in the quarterfinals.

The Pole has won her past 23 matches at Roland Garros, with three clay titles already under her belt this season.

Elsewhere, United States second seed Coco Gauff dispatched Argentina's Maria Lourdes Carle 6-1, 6-1. Next up for her is Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekic, who put out former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.

Italy's Jasmine Paolini, this year's French Open and Wimbledon runner-up, eased into the third round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Magda Linette.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova coasted past China's Wang Xinyu, while Maria Sakkari of Greece also advanced.

Zheng Qinwen, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud were among other second-round winners.

AFP

After clinching both a gold and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, 17-year-old Huang Yuting has found herself at the center of a social media buzz. It's not just her outstanding achievements that have people talking; her simple, yet adorable, white hair clip has also become a viral sensation.

"I am happy and satisfied with my first Olympic Games journey," said Huang.

She explained that there is a new rule that states the fringe of her hair is not allowed to fall down, "so I just found a hair clip to hold my hair, it's nothing special".

As soon as Huang's win was confirmed, an e-commerce client inquired whether or not Wan Chengying, who runs a hair accessory manufacturing business at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, had the same hair clip Huang wore as she helped shoot China to Olympic gold.

Wan was already prepared — she said yes, and immediately received an order of 40,000 units.

She explained that she has observed that major sporting events often boost the popularity of certain accessories. So, this year, she paid special attention to the Paris Olympics and prepared her factory in advance to meet the anticipated demand.

"The first batch of goods arrived at the e-commerce client's warehouse at 10 am on July 28, and the rest of the orders are being rushed to meet the demand," Wan told Hangzhou Daily.

"I expected the Olympic champion to make the hair clip popular, but I didn't expect the orders to come in so quickly."

Wan explained that most of her store's biggest orders come from e-commerce clients on platforms like Taobao and Douyin. These customers are highly trend-sensitive and skilled at creating viral products, which requires a quick response from manufacturers and suppliers.

The hair clip that Huang wore is actually a two-year-old product that Wan has been selling, but it has not been a bestseller, with only about 100,000 units sold before the Paris Olympics.

Wan estimated that, from the time Huang won the gold, to the afternoon of July 29, the orders for the hair clip had already approached 600,000 units — and were still coming.

"I estimate that the hair clip will sell at least 1 to 2 million units. It all depends on how long it stays popular. The longer it lasts, the more units we'll sell," Wan said.

This isn't Yiwu's first such foray into the market of Olympics-influenced product trends. Three years ago, after Yang Qian won the gold medal in women's 10m air rifle at the Tokyo Olympics, her yellow duck hair clip sparked a massive surge in interest on domestic e-commerce platforms.

Many Taobao stores quickly offered "Yang Qian-inspired" yellow duck clips and carrot hair tie bundles.

At Yiwu International Trade Market, merchants had listed the Yang Qian-inspired hair clips within an hour of her victory, and some had reproduced the popular accessories within 24 hours.

"Yang Qian-inspired hair clips stayed popular for more than six months, and our store alone sold 3 to 4 million units. So, I'm very confident this time," Wan said.

For Yiwu merchants, the rapid production of "Yang Qian-inspired" and "Huang Yuting-inspired" products is just business as usual.

"Yiwu's well-established industrial and supply chain systems, combined with high production efficiency and sharp market insight from local merchants, give Yiwu an unmatched ability to create trending products," Jiang Changfeng, head of Yiwu Yuhan Jewelry Co told Chao News.

The Yiwu International Trade Market, covering 6.4 million square meters, is home to numerous foreign trade stores, among which, more than 800 specialize in sporting goods, positioning the site as a crucial gateway for the Olympics economy.

In addition to Huang-inspired merchandise, the Yiwu market has introduced a variety of Olympics-themed accessories, including earrings featuring the colors of the French flag. These items have proven especially popular in international markets, with strong demand from Europe.

Mao Yixun contributed to this story.

Her impassive facial expression, the panda hanging from her bag and, of course, her white hair clip...

Everything about China's shooting star Huang Yuting has come under scrutiny among her growing legion of fans since the 17-year-old prodigy, alongside her partner Sheng Lihao, claimed the gold medal in the 10m air rifle mixed team event at the Paris Olympics on July 27.

Two days later, on July 29, Huang added a silver medal to her tally in the women's 10m air rifle final.

It must all be a little overwhelming, even for the seemingly unflappable teen, especially given her small-town roots in an unassuming village in Huangyan district, Taizhou city of Zhejiang province.

A village that can now boast an Olympic champion.

Her parents, both ordinary workers — her father works at a local factory, while her mother works at a kindergarten — played a pivotal role in setting her on the path to glory.

Each year, the local amateur sports school in Huangyan district selects potential talent from the area's elementary schools. Huang, demonstrating excellent coordination, stability, reflexes and physical fitness, was chosen to receive more formal training.

"At that time, our eldest daughter was a bit skinny, so we wanted her to engage in some physical activity to become more independent," her father explained. "Although we didn't understand much about shooting at first, it was a government program, and we saw it as a good hobby."

Starting at the age of 10, Huang's training regimen was rigorous. She balanced her schoolwork and shooting practice with remarkable discipline. Her daily routine involved heading to the sports school after her regular school hours, training for nearly an hour, and then returning home to complete her homework. Weekends were dedicated to more intensive training sessions.

Her first coach, Lin Kehan, who began working with Huang in 2017, recalls her being a quiet and diligent student. "She was always serious and dedicated, never missing a session," he said.

Recognizing her potential, Lin spoke with Huang's parents to ensure she received the necessary support and the family moved closer to the training facility to accommodate her rigorous training schedule.

It was the encouragement she needed, and Huang's independence and strong work ethic came to the fore.

"She has always been self-sufficient, never relying too much on us for anything," her father remarked. "She organizes her activities and studies meticulously, requiring minimal supervision."

Putting in the work

Her hard work quickly paid off. Only one year after picking up the sport, Huang had already achieved impressive results in provincial-level competitions.

In 2019, she dominated the National U18 Shooting Championships in Nanjing, winning golds in the individual, team and mixed team events.

In 2020, she joined the Zhejiang provincial shooting team, continuing her upward trajectory in the sport.

However, Huang's journey from a small district team to the national team was not without its challenges.

The local training facilities initially lacked electronic targets, which are essential for high-level competition. With the support of the school's principal, the training center was upgraded, significantly improving the quality of her sessions there.

The demands of training often kept Huang away from her family for long periods, and her last visit home was after the Asian Games in November last year.

"She started training away from home in her first year of junior high school," her father shared. "We often only see her once or twice a year. She is always busy training during the Chinese New Year, and never comes home for the holiday."

Despite the distance, her family stays connected with her through video calls. Her mother and younger sister are her main sources of emotional support.

"When we see that she is feeling down, we try to cheer her up with interesting stories and lighthearted conversations. She never talks about the difficulties she faces, and we don't ask. She has always been very independent and never complains," her father said.

Hometown honor

She strives for perfection, Lin observed, noting: "While others might practice one shot, she will practice three. Her dedication to pre-shot routines and practice is also remarkable."

Pre-shot routines involve practicing the shooting action without live ammunition, which is crucial for honing precision.

"Her commitment during these sessions, despite their monotony, speaks volumes about her willpower and determination," Lin said.

Her coaches at the provincial level also noted her exceptional dedication, even though training can be repetitive and dull. It is this level of investment that she has put into her training that is reflected in her results in Paris.

Results that have brought immense pride to her hometown.

She is the first athlete from Huangyan district to win an Olympic gold and silver medal, and people there will be hoping they're the first of many more.

"She still has many opportunities ahead," Lin said. "Standing on the Olympic podium is a testament to our collective efforts and dreams."

Paris buzzed with excitement on Tuesday, the fourth day of the Olympic Games, as visitors captured iconic moments across the French capital.

China's world No 1 team, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, have finally completed their major title collection by winning their first mixed doubles Olympic gold medal in Paris, paving the way for China's clean sweep of all five titles.

Roared on by an enthusiastic crowd, mainly Chinese fans, at the South Paris Arena, Wang and Sun, the men's and women's reigning world No. 1 players respectively, held off a strong comeback from Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to prevail 4-2 in the high-profile final on Tuesday and secured the first gold medal up for grabs in table tennis at the Paris Olympics.

Having won almost every major trophy together, including two mixed doubles world championship titles in 2021 and 2023, Wang and Sun relished their first Olympic gold together as a special one, particularly following Team China's final loss to host Japan in the mixed event's Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021.

"This mixed doubles gold is probably the medal I wanted the most. I have to thank everyone around us who contributed to this win," said Wang, a six-time world champion across men's team, men's doubles and mixed doubles.

"It was the work and effort of everyone that helped us pull it off. We put in so much for this gold, it now all feels worth it. This is not just our glory, it belongs to the entire team."

In the Tokyo Games mixed doubles final, Japanese pair Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito outlasted China's Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen 4-3 in a seven-set thriller to snatch the very first mixed doubles Olympic gold, denying China's attempt to bag all five gold medals.

Now, with Tuesday's win opening its Paris 2024 campaign on a high note, Team China will go all out to achieve a gold medal clean sweep in Paris with four more events — men's and women's singles and teams — to go.

"I feel like a heavy stone was released from my heart. It was a big relief to get this one done. There are more to go for sure. Hopefully we could build on this opening victory to secure Team China's dominance in other events," said Wang.

Sun attributed the triumph to the chemistry she's developed with Wang since they first started to play doubles in 2017.

"I'm thankful to my partner for all the work we put in over the last three years. We've known each other since we were kids and grew up together. We're pleased with the result today, and hope we'll be able to continue to do well in the coming events," she said.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

Hong Kong fencer Edgar Cheung Ka-long successfully defended his Olympic gold medal in the men's individual foil final on Tuesday, winning the city's second gold medal of the Paris 2024 Games. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who is visiting Southeast Asia, congratulated Cheung on his achievement today. Lee said Cheung's performance shows the caliber of Hong Kong's outstanding athletes, and he believes all Hong Kong residents share his pride and excitement. Lee said that the Olympics will further inspire a passion for sports in the city.

Young Chinese residents gathered at a teahouse in Paris on Monday, wearing Hanfu, drinking tea and playing traditional Chinese games, as they cheered Team China while watching the men's 100-meter backstroke final of the 2024 Olympic Games in the French capital. Click to see the Chinese way of cheering up their idols.

PARIS - The men's Olympic triathlon planned for Tuesday has been postponed over concerns about water quality in Paris' Seine River, where the swimming portion of the race was supposed to take place.

Organizers said they will try to hold the men's triathlon Wednesday instead. The women's competition is also scheduled on Wednesday, but both are subject to water tests. A risk of storms in the forecast for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings could complicate rescheduling the events.

Heavy rains generally cause levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the Seine to rise. Paris experienced a downpour during the Olympic opening ceremony Friday, with rain continuing into Saturday.

The swimming portion of training events meant to let the triathletes familiarize themselves with the course was canceled on both Sunday and Monday because of concerns over water quality.

The decision to postpone the men's triathlon followed a meeting early Tuesday morning that included the sport's governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team and city officials.

The event is now scheduled to start at 10:45 am, which may make heat a factor. Wednesday's high temperature is forecast to be 95 F (35 C), and the event may be finishing at the hottest part of the day.

Organizers and city officials had expressed confidence that bacteria levels would improve as skies cleared and temperatures warmed in the days that followed, but that apparently wasn't sufficient to ensure the athletes' safety.

Paris made an enormous effort to improve the water quality in the long-polluted Seine so the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming event in August could be held in the famed river that runs through the city center. But bacteria levels have remained in flux.

Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli, with a safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters determined by European rules. Monitoring group Eau de Paris releases data each Friday, but it is updated only through the previous Tuesday.

High levels of E. coli in water can indicate contamination from sewage. Most strains are harmless and some live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. But others can be dangerous. Even a mouthful of contaminated water can lead to diarrhea, and the germ can cause illnesses such as infections in the urinary tract or in the intestines.

Efforts to make the river suitable for swimming cost 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion). They include the construction of a giant basin to capture excess rainwater and keep wastewater from flowing into the river, renovating sewer infrastructure and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo very publicly took a swim in the river two weeks ago, along with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet, and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs. Data released last week show that E. coli levels at the Bras Marie were at 985 units per 100 milliliters that day, slightly above the established threshold.

Other swimming events planned in the Seine are the triathlon mixed relay on Aug 5 and the women's and men's marathon swimming events on Aug 8 and Aug 9.

AP

Amid thunderous cheers from teammates and spectators, South Korea clinched its 10th consecutive Olympic gold in women's team archery, defeating China 5-4 in a gripping final on Sunday in Paris.

However, amidst the celebrations, one Korean stood wiping away in tears of a different kind. Kwon Yong-hak, coach of the China women's archery team, was visibly emotional as his charges narrowly lost their tense shoot-off.

Despite China finishing just one step away from the title, the South Korean trio had to overcome a stout challenge, after leading in the first two rounds. Chinese archers Yang Xiaolei, Li Jiaman, and An Qixuan managed to close the gap, tying the score at 4-4 and forcing the match to a three-arrow shoot-off. In the decisive round, each athlete from both teams shoots one arrow.

South Korea started strong, with the first arrow just shaving the ring of the target for a 10, while Chinese archer Li shot an eight. Korea's second was a nine, but up stepped 24-year-old Yang, and casually, seemingly with ice in her veins, fired it straight down the middle to hit dead center.

But, after An shot a nine and the final Korean arrow, again, grazed the 10-point line — so closely it had to be checked with a magnifying glass — China ultimately fell agonizingly short, losing 27-29.

Yang thought that the Koreans were more comprehensive, "but we keep focusing on what we do. We have already proved a lot by taking the match to 4-4 and forcing the shoot-off. So, we already feel good about it".

"Our coach told us to be ourselves. It doesn't matter what score our opponent shot, and it doesn't matter who the opponent is, we have to really bring our best game and to put up the best score we can," Yang said.

Archers from South Korea have shown unwavering dominance in the event since it was introduced to the Olympics at Seoul 1988. They have now won 18 of 19 gold medals in women's archery since competing as host at that Games.

The only exception was when China's Zhang Juanjuan won the individual event at Beijing 2008.

China stands second in the overall medal table for women's team archery, having secured silver medals in 1992, 2004, 2008, and 2012. The runner-up finish in Paris adds another silver to that impressive tally, and marks the closest China has come yet to dethroning its Asian neighbor and clinching gold.

At the Tokyo Olympics, the Chinese women's archery team struggled, losing to Belarus in the round of 16 and missing out on the quarterfinals. However, in the Paris cycle, new coach Kwon joined the team and revitalized it with innovative training methods and strategies, significantly enhancing its performance.

Kwon, a former national archery champion in South Korea, transitioned to coaching after retiring from competition. Since 2006, he has spent his summers in China, coaching the Jiangsu archery team, later working with teams in Xinjiang, Shandong and Shanghai. To better communicate with his athletes, Kwon taught himself Chinese.

Before the Paris Olympics, Kwon shared with Beijing Youth Daily: "If I were coaching in South Korea, leading a team to the Olympics would be impossible. I am very grateful for this opportunity and cherish it deeply."

Kwon often reminds his athletes that "overall, the South Korean team is undoubtedly stronger; that's an objective reality. But, it doesn't mean they are invincible. Each time you compete against them, you learn something and become stronger. When the opportunity to win comes, we will seize it."

Under Kwon's guidance, the Chinese women's archery team has made remarkable progress during the current Olympic cycle. It secured victories against South Korea in this year's World Cup events in Shanghai and Yecheon, South Korea.

Among the three team members, only Yang has prior Olympic experience. In June, she clinched the individual gold medal at World Cup event in Antalya, Turkiye.

"The team played hard and showed a tenacious spirit during the competition," Kwon said. "We will not give up. Let's keep pushing forward. Next Olympics, we must strive to defeat them."

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn

From skating for fun at a square near her home, to riding to stardom in Paris, skateboarding prodigy Cui Chenxi has been an ambassador for her sport, giving skateboarding's rise in China a major boost with her Olympic breakthrough.

Always a fearless, sporty type since she was little, Cui sent an inspirational message to all her peers about the power of passion on Sunday, by riding her beloved skateboard — a pastime she picked just four years ago — all the way to a historic fourth-place finish in women's street final at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Despite narrowly missing out on a podium finish, Cui has enjoyed every bit of her Olympic journey, which came with crashes, slip-ups, scratches and broken teeth, before eventually landing her on the world's highest stage.

"A little bit, just that, no more," Cui, a 14-year-old middle school girl, said of her disappointing defeat at the hands of Brazil's Rayssa Leal at Paris' iconic Place de la Concorde.

"Overall, I feel satisfied with my performance today, and I enjoyed competing in the sport that I love so much all the way to the Olympics," said Cui, who, aged just 13, won the same discipline at last year's Asian Games, making her the country's youngest gold medalist at the continental event.

Boasting two clean executions out of five trick attempts, Cui held off a group of higher-profile opponents, all teenagers, to settle for fourth place with a total of 241.56 points in the street discipline final on Sunday. It marks a major step up in performance for Chinese athletes, with Cui finishing two spots better off than her senior teammate, Zeng Wenhui, at the sport's Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

Skateboarding powerhouse Japan still reigned supreme in the event, with world No 1 rider Coco Yoshizawa and No 2 Liz Akama enjoying a one-two finish on the podium after going neck-and-neck in their own Olympic debut.

Brazilian Leal, silver medalist in Tokyo three years ago, came back from behind to claim a bronze by stomping her second successful trick on her last attempt to leapfrog Cui, who had held third place before Leal's final attempt.

Skateboarding street at the Olympics is competed over two sections, where each skater takes two 45-second runs on a course featuring stairs, ledges, curbs and handrails in the first phase, before each performing five tricks in the second.

A skater's final score is aggregated from their best run and two most successful tricks, requiring a versatile repertoire imbued with quality, creativity and style to prevail.

Despite getting knocked off the podium, Cui remains upbeat, relishing how far the sport has taken her and the frenemy relationship she has with her teen rivals.

"I am just so happy to be here and to have fun with all the girls as more of a group of friends than opponents," said a jubilant Cui, who greeted spectators, exchanged a few pins and fist-bumped with journalists after the final.

"I executed my first two tricks the way I wanted, but failed to step up a gear when I needed a higher-difficulty move to beat the Brazilian girl's fifth trick.

"I can live with that, though, because I haven't quite yet grasped that difficult trick well enough in training.

"I kind of feel happy for her (Leal) because she's such a good skater who deserved the place on the podium, while I will definitely keep going, perfect my own tricks and get better next time."

Entering the Olympic race as a newcomer, Cui said she got along well with all the girls, Australia's Chloe Covell in particular, and apparently has won over some new fans. On her way to her post-final interview, a young boy approached her from the stands, asking for an autograph and, even more boldly, for her skateboard.

Cui waved to him, gently refused to give up her board, but took pride in knowing that she's made a good example and helped draw more attention to the sport.

"Of course I'd like to see more young people my age, or even younger, pick up a skateboard, but I want them do it only for fun, not to push too hard for results, or whatever," said Cui, who, at the age of 9, picked skateboarding from among many other sports, including soccer and table tennis, as her favorite.

"The pure joy of landing a hard trick, after trying and failing so many times, is so satisfying that I hope more young skaters can feel it and fall in love with it."

Thanks to the Olympic exposure, skateboarding is gaining traction across China, highlighted by the bustling scenes at Shanghai's dockland park, where parents and their kids joined long queues to sign up for entry-level junior courses during the sport's Olympic qualifier series earlier this year.

The trendy urban sport, which used to be among the least promoted sports activities due to its rebellious nature, has now grown in popularity with Chinese parents, with the soaring businesses of junior training clubs in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, providing proof of the changing perception.

The governing body will, for sure, aim to capitalize on the trend, according to Wei Yong, secretary-general of the Chinese Roller Sports Association.

"Since last year, we've been developing a national reserve team and have organized a winter camp for all talented youngsters aged between 9 and 14 to be identified, promoted and developed at the same time," Wei told China Sports Daily.

"Kids learn and grow together, making future prospects for the 2028 Olympics quite bright," he said.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

As the undisputed favorite in all diving events, China is once again reigning supreme at the Olympic Games with two gold medals already secured in Paris, leaving the rest of the world impressed by its focus, consistency and collective strength.

Chinese men's pair Yang Hao and Lian Junjie held their nerve and executed six perfect dives, despite mounting pressure from formidable rivals, to win the synchronized 10-meter platform final on Monday, keeping Team China's hopes of an eight-medal clean sweep in diving alive.

Leading from the first round, Yang and Lian kept their dives complete and clean to score a total of 490.35 points and win their first Olympic title in the synchronized event, after having collected three world championship trophies together.

Thomas Daley and Noah Williams of Britain executed near-flawless routines, but had to settle for silver after scoring 463.44 points. Canada's Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray won bronze with 422.13 points.

After reclaiming the men's synchronized platform title from Daley and his former partner, Matty Lee, who won it at Tokyo 2020, the Chinese pair attributed their golden Olympic debut to their mental resilience and solid training before the Paris Games.

"There are no always-victorious athletes, or teams, in competitive sports. We just prepared the best we could and performed well on the day," said Yang, 26, a five-time world champion.

"Consistent performance comes from hard work on a daily basis. Overall, I think we just outworked most of our rivals in training, so that we could deliver when it matters," he added.

Daley, who made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2008, fell short of upsetting his mighty rivals again, after having almost single-handedly spearheaded the rest of the world's charge against the Chinese team in the past four editions of the Games.

The 30-year-old diving celebrity, however, took pride in having at least proved that even China's "dream team" wasn't invincible.

"I am so incredibly happy to come away with another medal this time with Noah; the achievement is coming back to competition readiness within a year," said Daley, who reversed his retirement plan last year to go for a fifth Olympics, and has only trained with Williams in synchronized platform diving since November.

"China dived absolutely incredible today. Every single one of their divers is almost flawless. We were applying the pressure every single round, yet they didn't fall to it," he said, adding, "What's interesting is being able to have the hope and the belief that it's possible to beat the Chinese divers… they know how to perform the best in competitions."

Team China got its ambition of claiming all eight diving titles up for grabs in Paris off to a flying start on Saturday after women's duo Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen secured the first one in the 3-meter synchronized springboard event at the Paris Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis.

Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of the United States won silver, while British duo Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen won bronze.

Performing five routines, the same as the Chinese women, in the final, the pair from the US tried to match their world champion opponents in execution, quality and synchronization. It turned out that Team China has dominated the same event six times in a row at the Olympics for a reason.

"The Chinese have been the gold standard in diving for decades," Cook said. "We studied a lot of their films, and we love watching them to learn from their dives. But we are also peers with them. Our goal is to beat them one day."

Cook added: "Following them in the competition helps us do better. They are obviously putting the pressure on us, hitting the dives. They are kind of setting the standard. In a competition, I want to see good quality, and China forced us to have good quality to follow them up like that."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn