Home > Sport for All > Sport for All >

Olympic champs to volunteer in Chinese fitness program

2009-08-16 20:58 Xinhuanet

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- After winning 51 gold medals to help China top the gold tally in the Beijing Olympic Games, Chinese Olympic champions showed their concern over the country's mass sports by committing themselves to volunteering in the national fitness program.

Eighteen former or reigning Olympic gold owners from the Chinese national weightlifting teams announced their plan on Aug. 12, four days after the country's first National Fitness Day (Aug.8).

They called on all Chinese Olympic champs to spend at least seven days every year on voluntary social service, and guide communities to take physical exercises more frequently and scientifically.

A national fitness plan, which urges professional gym instructors to go into communities for volunteer work, was launched on Saturday in Beijing.

Fourteen Olympic champions attending the ceremony signed their names to show their commitment, pledging to do whatever they can to help the mass in their daily health-improving exercises.

Addressing the ceremony, Chinese "Diving Queen" Guo Jingjing proposed all Chinese Olympic titlists to pass on the spirit of Olympic volunteers and dedicate themselves to the national fitness program.

"We hope more and more people will respond to this call and make physical exercises as part of our daily life. We need to feel the power of sports with our hearts and enjoy the fun and health that sports can bring to us," said Guo, who won the 3m spring board in the last two Olympic Games and also teamed with Wu Minxia to win Olympic synchronized title twice.

Wang Yifu, a sharp shooter who claimed two Olympic gold medals and now head coach of the Chinese shooting squad, also highlighted the necessity of the commitment. He said: "Without the support from our country and our people, Chinese athletes can not succeed in the Olympic Games. Now it is the time for us to do something for the society. And volunteering in national fitness program is a perfect way for us to make contribution with our own specialty."

Also on the occasion, Huang Xu, men's gymnastics team champion at the Beijing Games said: "If I have chance to do physical exercises with communities, I would like to show them the importance of warm-up. No matter in what sport, complete and correct warm-up can efficiently protect people from unnecessary injuries."

The Olympic champs' dedication to serve in the national fitness program was praised by Liu Peng, head of the Chinese sport governing body.

Liu, director of the Chinese General Administration of Sports and president of the Chinese Olympic Committee(COC), said: "The weightlifting team's proposal was laudable. The COC encourage all Chinese Olympic champions to spend seven days per year in serving the society. They can work as grassroots coaches in schools, or go to gyms and community body-building sites to serve as instructors. There are lots of means for them to combine their expertise in the volunteer work, and the options are open."

The year after the Beijing Games witnessed China's shift from Olympic medals sports to mass sports. And the country began to pay more and more attention to national fitness.

The establishment of Aug. 8 as the National Fitness Day reflects the government's concern over the life and fortune of the people, and it can also been seen as the best marking of the most eye-catching Olympic Games in Beijing.

"The launch of the National Fitness Day is also a vivid reflection of the legacy that the Beijing Olympics has left for the people and the society," added Liu. "It is an important step to further improve people's health and a great power to enhance the Chinese sports."

Related Story