Will there be another Liu Xiang in China?

After experiencing a downturn period in Beijing Olympic Games, the national athletics squad of China won one gold medal, one silver medal and four bronze medals at London Olympic Games, making the best results of historical record. Now, Chinese athletics squad is making a positive preparation for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

Expectations for Liu Xiang not as high as before

Liu had been expected to win a medal even a gold medal in the men's 110m hurdles at the London Olympics. Unfortunately, Liu got injured in the race and quitted the game.

Currently, Liu is recovering from the operation in the United States. The wound on his Achilles' tendon has healed but the muscle of his legs is atrophying. Assistant coach of Chinese Athletics Association Sun Haiping disclosed that Liu is unable to enter a race in the short term and he even will not take part in the World Athletics Championships in August and the National Games.

No one in China can win a medal in the men's 110m hurdles except Liu. Sun said frankly that it really was not easy to find a player like Liu. The head coach of the national athletics squad Feng Shuyong also said that China will not have another Liu.

Race walking event gradually plays as a key role

China did not win a medal in race walking competition at Beijing Olympic Games but won one gold medal and three bronze medals at London Olympic Games.

An official of Chinese Athletics Association said that race walking event has the collective advantage and will take on an important mission in the next Olympic Games, with such outstanding players as Chen Ding, Wang Zhen, Liu Hong and Qieyang Shijie being the most hopeful to win a medal even a gold medal.

China will participate in the World Athletics Championships of August with full quotas in race walking event, showing its strong strength.

The women's throwing events made new breakthroughs

The women's throwing events of China had an outstanding performance at London Olympic Games, with Li Yanfeng winning a silver medal for women's discus throw, Gong Lijiao winning a bronze medal for women's shot put, Zhang Wenxiu winning the fourth place for women's hammer throw and Lu Huihui winning the fifth place for women's javelin throw.

Lu had got a result of 64.95 meters in the women's javelin throw event in April 2012, breaking the Asian record, and many other girls also got a better achievement than A-class standard of Olympic Games. The outstanding players of women's javelin throw event are now very young and will be in their golden age when they participate in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, so they are very promising.

According to Chinese Athletics Association, Chinese players also have potential strength in such events as high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault events, so they must step up efforts to strive for new breakthroughs.

Echelon construction has taken shape

In recent years, the Chinese Athletics Association has been increasing efforts to train more teenagers, and the echelon construction has taken shape.

So far, the Chinese Athletics Association has established a total of 129 high-level talents training bases in race walking, middle-distance race, women's throw, jump, short-distance race and hurdles events, focusing on cultivation of younger athletes. With the combination of sports and education, it established 12 national junior teams including six race walking teams.

In addition, it also set up a platform to cultivate the reserves and established amateur leagues, providing a platform of communication and improvement for middle and primary school teachers and coaches loving athletics events.