Project 119: How China won Beijing 2008 Olympics
What is Project 119? In 2001, immediately after winning the bid for hosting the 2008 Olympics, Beijing started a project to improve China’s performance in certain medal-rich sports they typically did poorly in. The total number of medals they sought to go after totaled 119, hence the name.
Athletics: 47
Swimming: 34
Rowing: 14
Sailing: 11
Canoe / Kayak - Flatwater: 12
Canoe / Kayak - Slalom: 4
Total: 122
In Sydney 2000, China won only one medal from the list of 119; in Athens 2004, they won four. For Beijing 2008, the medal possibilities have increased to 122, and China has invested millions of dollars into their athletes and facilities preparing for this year’s games. The First Post has an article China’s Olympic plan to topple America worth taking a look at:
For the past seven years, China’s communist authorities have been running an intensive training programme reminiscent of the Soviet Union’s methods - and goal of global domination - during the Cold War era. Unprecedented military discipline, huge sporting budgets, state-of-the-art foreign technology and proven international coaches have all been incorporated into what the Chinese call ‘Project 119′.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers has projected that the Chinese team of 639 Olympic athletes (more than double the 311 it sent to Sydney in 2000, and topping the US tally of 596 athletes this year) will pip the US in Beijing by a total of 88 medals to 87. American bookies currently have China as favourite to win both the overall and gold-medal counts.
With 61 medals (to the US’s 65) and an amazing 35 gold (to the US’s 19), Project 119 is clearly off to a good start. Go China!
topyoutube @ 18:32
Meneame
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