Kristi Heim: The World in China

Seattle Times reporter Kristi Heim explores a changing China on the world stage.

August 18, 2008 10:06 PM

Liu Xiang and Chinese "national glory"

If it wasn't clear from the 70-pound pixie gymnasts already, Liu Xiang's saga shows how an athlete's life here, his body and his glory or failure, do not really belong to him. They belong to his sponsors, the media and the state.

Liu was the center of an elaborate show where his success was used for larger purposes, mainly overcoming deep national insecurity, and of course making money. China is different from both the former Eastern bloc's authoritarian control and U.S.-style commercialization. It's both of them and more.

Even while plagued with injuries, which his coach blamed on training too much due to the pressure, the event was so over-hyped that Liu had no choice but to enter the field and make his pain public. Today a full page spread in the China Daily turns his tragedy into an ad for Nike: "Love sport even when it breaks your heart," it says.

Liu's Website makes the point that he is "the first Chinese man to win a gold medal in Olympic track and field, first Asian man to win an Olympic sprint competition, and first athlete not from North America or Europe to win an Olympic medal" in the hurdles. His success was meant to prove the strength of Chinese bodies, the individual as a metaphor for the national.

After winning a gold medal four years ago in Athens, Liu himself seemed surprised "Given the Asian physiology, few expected that a Chinese would ever be able to run under 13 seconds," he said. "I believe this is like a sort of miracle."

Following his departure from the race yesterday, as Liu sat depressed and avoiding the public eye, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping conveyed official wishes to him through China's sports ministry. "We hope that after he recovers, he will continue to train hard and struggle harder for national glory," Xi said.