Olympic spirit survives despite the devastation

By Nick Mulvenney  |   2008-6-11  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE devastation of the Sichuan earthquake has in no way diminished China's enthusiasm for hosting the Beijing Olympics in August, Chinese table tennis great Deng Yaping said in Beijing yesterday.

The four-times Olympic gold medallist, once voted China's athlete of the 20th Century, spent three days in Sichuan after the quake. Even among the survivors, she said, the desire to witness the Olympics in China for the first time on August 8 was undiminished.

"Holding the Olympics has been an aspiration for the Chinese people for 100 years," Deng, now a Beijing Olympic official preparing the Olympic village, told reporters.

"Since July 13, 2001, we have been preparing and looking forward to it. Now there are not many days to go. I believe the people are still looking forward to it and for myself, my enthusiasm has not lessened at all."

Deng traveled with other sporting greats to Sichuan, where they handed out sports equipment and Olympic mascots (Fuwas) to schoolchildren in the stricken area.

"The Olympic spirit - higher, faster, stronger - children have been educated a lot about that in the last seven years," she said. "By giving them the Fuwas we sent the message that they could constantly overcome all the difficulties."

Deng criticized the crowds of her compatriots who left an athletics test event at the Bird's Nest stadium last month immediately after local hero Liu Xiang had won his hurdles event.

"I think we should reward the foreign athletes with kindness and applause," the 35-year-old said.