Are China's golds cherry-picked?

Question

Seems like China's getting a lot of golds in obscure events. If you take out diving and gymnastics, which I'm willing to admit China fields a strong team for, then you get stuff like:

archery

badminton (3)

judo (3)

shooting (5)

table tennis (2 freebie golds basically since who else plays Olympic ping pong?)

weightlifting (8 golds....seriously, they're being tested for doping, right?)

If you look at US's non-gymnastics, non-swimming golds, they include:

cycling

tennis

track and field

sports that are a lot more competitive and "high profile", so to say.

The same holds for comparing silver and bronze, the Chinese medals seem to be mostly in events where any country with a big sports program that decided to really focus on it could beat out the lesser countries that usually medalled, just on strength of training and quality of facilities and equipment over 4 years.

If the Olympics were pared down so there wasnt such a bias towards certain sports that have several very similar events and/or categories to cherry pick, would China still be so far ahead?

Answer 1

China started this project called Project 119, which they trained their athletes to compete in the events that they think will give them the best chance of winning gold.

So, it's no surprise that China is getting lots of Gold.

Answer 2

Just because a sport is little-watched does not mean that the athletes achievements are less than someone competing in a sport that is more popular.

Answer 3

I really like all this variety of sports at the Olympics. The Americans tend to focus on just a few popular events that sell commercials. That's just too bad 'cos the Olympics is one chance you get to watch what you call an "obscure" event, and see the best people demonstrate how it's done. For example, I know nothing about archery, so it's interesting to see. I happen to think fencing is cool. But I guess you think that's obscure too.

China is in the phase of trying and embracing new things, while America is in the phase of closing itself off. That's really not a good idea.  Americans used to be so much more curious!  

Answer 4

More American bleating. Gold is gold and the IOC decide whether an event can be included in the Olympics.

Maybe you want America to decide what sports should be included?

China are whipping your *** and teams like GB and Australia are doing far better than US relative to population.

Answer 5

They are not obscure medals. They are normal. Have you checked the Official Olympic page and you will see there's a lot of medals history?

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BI...

China has THE best Weightlifting team in the World. Showed it in 2000; 2004; 2008.

Answer 6

Well you shouldn't have taken gymnastics out of the count. China has never really been amazing until these past couple of years in gymnastics. And in gymnastics the judges definately favor the Chinese.

At the Bar finals, USA's Nastia Liukin and a girl from China tied for gold. But they no longer allow ties in gymnastics. So the judges re evalulated the routines and awarded the Chinese girl the gold medal. Although EVERYONE knew that Nastia Liukin routine was clearly better and should have been the gold medal routine.

I know this isn't exactly what you were asking, but I had to tell it to somebody!! LOL

Answer 7

I agree with you.  They pick kids a 3-5 and find what they are decent at, take them away from there family and make them play badminton for the next 15 years. Boy do I want that life! (Sarcasm)  

Answer 8

i wouldnt say they've been "cherry picked". Rather, those sports that you mentioned that China participates in have always been sports Chinese people have been fond of so it makes sense that they would be top there. Project 119 doesnt include the sports you mentioned so its definitely not specifically picked.

** let me note that Project 119 just started in 2004. So far it hasnt had much of an impact (see track & field, swimming where china is no good at the moment)

As for your questions about pingpong and weightlifting -- ping pong is very popular in asia... so... who else plays ping pong? the rest of asia. and all athletes have been rigorously tested after the marion jones fiasco

Answer 9

China came into these Olympics with a ....wait...is that a turtleneck you are wearing?  Guys don't wear turtlenecks anymore...oh man...buddy...you have to lose that, women are present.

Answer 10

NO! They're obscure maybe in your part of the world but high-profile in other parts of the world such as China.

I don't understand how you forget there is more than America competing in these games- 204 nations to be exact!

You need to broaden your horizons and not be so tunnel-visioned

JUST TO ERASE ANY SUSPICION:

The following table is layed out like this: Sport * 2002 Estimates of Participants Worldwide * Number of Affiliated National Federations

Volleyball * 998 Million * 218

Basketball * 400 Million * 211

Table Tennis * 300 Million * 186

Soccer *1002 Million * 264

Swimming * 1500 Million * 187

Badminton * 200 Million * 147

Tennis * 60 Million * 191

Baseball * 60 Million * 110

Dragon Boat Racing * 50 Million * 51

Team Handball * 18 Million * 147

Hockey * 3 million * 118

Judo * 2.5 Million * 187

Rugby * 2 Million * 97

Cycling * 600,000 * 160

Bocce * Pending * 72

Cricket * Pending * 74

Answer 11

You're not one to decide which events are important and which ones aren't.  Everyone has their own opinion.  I, for one, always look forward to badminton and table tennis the most every Olympics.  Of course I am biased for China, but should China be extremely competitive in every event, I would still be looking forward to badminton and table tennis the most.  And badminton and table tennis are two of the most popular sports in the world, contrary to most Americans' beliefs.

In fact, I have not watched a single swimming race these Olympics because it's just not very appealing to me.  I understand that those athletes are very fit and worked very hard, but I am just not a big fan of swimming.

And yes, Chinese weightlifters are tested for doping.  They always dominate weightlifting and are always clean.

Useless: I actually wouldn't trust that list.  I haven't found a dependable list online, but association football is quite clearly by far the most popular sport.  I'm pretty sure cricket is 2nd behind it, and my guess would be field hockey 3rd behind cricket.  After that, I really would not trust any website.  There's no way volleyball is that popular, despite how much I like volleyball.

Answer 12

Shooting is not important? No wonder the American troops are having problems in the middle east...