Golf Update: China prepares Yan Jing for the 2016 Olympics
The 14-year-old has her hopes up in representing China at the 2016 Olympics.
2016 may be far away but China is already exercising its long term decision-making strategy by preparing Yan Jing as one of its valuable instruments for enhancing women's golf in the country. The young star performed brilliantly in Guangzhou last year and
is now hoping to go one notch-up at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Last year, the young prodigy had been able to gather two silver medals from the Asian Games.
The young female shot an amazing 69 after the final round of the Olympian games in contention for a well deserved individual silver in a play-off. The teen star is thus compared to Michelle Wie and is ready to tackle whatever comes her way.
“I’ll be entering my 20th year when 2016 arrives” said Yan.
The 14-year-old is the daughter of Yan Ming who is an ex-commentator on the ESPN golf.
According to Zhang Xiaoning, the two women’s medals earned from the Asian Games have immense significance historically. Xiaoning is currently the director of the Multi-Ball Administrative Centre.
He said that this achievement must be regarded as one of the advancement in women's golf and added that the success has in a way renewed our confidence for much bigger goals.
"It regurgitates that the way China is going is the right way. The state-supported mechanism of enhancing sports with the market forces is a positive approach" said the director.
From China, there are currently only 100 registered professional golfers whereas the number of frequent players amount to only 50. The Chinese Commissioner of Golf Association believes this gap is quite large. Li Hong compared the Chinese golf with the South
Korean play and said that the country still has a long way to go.
According to Li, there have been a total of 1300 registered women and 400 amateurs undergoing the pro qualifying tests in South Korea.
However, China seems to be investing more in its athletes. Comparing the men and women, The Chinese association seems more prone towards investing in its female golfers and affirms the idea of slashing the Chinese-S. Korean gap.
Regarding the Olympics, the young star believes that it’s a long stretch to go and anything can happen in these years. Yan said that she would try her best and will see what the future brings for her.
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