By Sportswriter Li Hualiang
CHENGDU, China, June 4 (Xinhua) -- As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics move into view, several Chinese teams are trying to learn from experienced foreign sports experts. Sir Steven Redgrave is the latest name added to that list.
Redgrave is well-known for his five Olympic gold medals and nine world championships in rowing. After winning gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Redgrave retired and became a high-level sports performance expert in England. "He has full control of the Chinese national rowing team's training program as the high-level performance director," said Liu Aijie, chairman of the Chinese Rowing Association.
Besides the national team, Redgrave will also be tasked with implementing a youth development program and a coach training system. Like Redgrave, recent foreign experts hired in China are here for the long haul, rather than a short-term fix.
Dirk Bauermann is also a new foreign sports expert serving in China. He has become the head coach of the Sichuan Blue Whales in the CBA. "We chose him because he is good at shaping young players in his own way. We focus on the future instead of short term success," Sichuan's investor Zhou Shiqiang said.
Even in some highly competitive areas, foreign experts are showing up. China and South Korea are major competitors in short track speed skating. Cho Jae-beom, who was the coach of famous South Korea-born athlete Shim Suk-hee, joined the Chinese short track speed skating national team as a coach, along with another South Korean native Song Jae-kun.
According to Li Yan, the head coach of the Chinese short track speed skating team, the pattern of the whole sporting world is constantly changing.
At the opening ceremony of London Olympics in 2012, Redgrave passed the torch to seven children, nominated to light the flame. Right now, foreign experts like Redgrave, are passing the torch to the Chinese sports.
