Feature: How a 1924 Paris Olympic champion dedicated his life to China

TIANJIN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- In fewer than two weeks, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will officially open, marking the return of the Games to Paris after a century.

The 1924 Paris Olympics witnessed many pioneering practices, including the introduction of the Olympic motto "Faster, Higher, Stronger" and the concept of the Olympic Village. Meanwhile, a number of legendary stars emerged at the Games, such as Finland's Paavo Nurmi, who won an unprecedented five gold medals.

However, for China, the biggest star at the 1924 Paris Olympics might be a British Olympic champion. Not because of his world-record winning performance in the 400 meters, nor the Oscar-winning film "Chariots of Fire", which was adapted from his life story, but because he was born in, died in and dedicated his life to China.

Eric Liddell is known in Chinese as Li Airui. His life and achievements were showcased at a memorial exhibition at the Tianjin Sports Museum in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

Liddell, whose parents were from Scotland, was born in Tianjin in 1902. At the age of five, Liddell was sent back to the U.K. for his education. He showed good sporting talent at a young age, always ranking near the top of his school's running competitions, and captaining its rugby and cricket teams.

After Liddell enrolled at the University of Edinburgh in 1920, his sporting talent became more prominent, and he won many awards in national athletics competitions.

Liddell was one of the strongest contenders for the gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1924 Paris Olympics. However, the Olympic schedule published in advance showed that the 100m and 4x100m races were to be held on a Sunday. A committed Christian, he chose not to run these two races and signed up instead for the 200m and 400m races, which were not his favored events and which he had only a few months to prepare for.

However, Liddell not only took the bronze medal in the 200m, but broke the world record in the 400m with a time of 47.06 seconds to win gold.

Flowers, applause and honors followed. However, despite being at the peak of his sporting career, Liddell then made a surprising decision. After obtaining a degree in science at the age of 23, he returned to his birthplace Tianjin, and settled there.

Until today, many people are still puzzled by Liddell's choice. Zhao Yan, a staffer at the Tianjin Sports Museum, suggested that Liddell returned to Tianjin for two reasons: firstly, to be nearer to his family, as his parents had always been in Tianjin, and secondly, his belief that his future would be more meaningful in China. As he once said, "From birth to death, everyone seems to be on the same track, but what each person does is different, hence the meaning of life is also different."

Back in Tianjin, Liddell worked as a science and physical education teacher at the Anglo-Chinese Christian College. He also taught chemistry and maths, and cultivated sporting talents and spread the Olympic spirit.

Under his tutelage, the school set up teams in football, basketball, baseball, table tennis, tennis and volleyball, becoming the most popular and highest-level middle school for sports in Tianjin at that time.

Liddell was also known as the "Father of the Minyuan", the most famous stadium in Tianjin at that time. When it was renovated in 1925, Liddell, referring to the design drawings of Stamford Bridge stadium in the United Kingdom, made a series of suggestions on the track structure, lighting equipment and grandstand levels, making the renovated stadium one of the leading facilities in Asia at that time.

In 1929, the Minyuan Stadium held a much-anticipated international track and field competition, where Liddell defeated German athlete Otto Pferz in the men's 500m, winning the last gold medal of his life.

In 1934, 32-year-old Liddell married Florence Mackenzie of Canada in Tianjin. However, due to the outbreak of World War II, Liddell sent his pregnant wife and children back to Canada in 1941, while he remained in Tianjin, participating in the treatment of wounded soldiers and aiding refugees. In 1943, Liddell was captured by the Japanese army and imprisoned in a concentration camp in today's Weifang, Shandong Province.

In the concentration camp, Liddell taught science and organized sporting activities, inspiring his fellow prisoners with an optimistic attitude. However, the long-term imprisonment and malnutrition severely damaged his health. In early 1945, Liddell passed away due to a brain tumor at the age of 43.

Liddell's story has been celebrated by people around the world, and this year marks the 100th anniversary of the gold medal he won at the 1924 Paris Olympics, and memorial exhibitions for him were held all over the world.

"We refer to Eric Liddell as a Scottish hero and a Scottish icon. We call him the "Flying Scotsman". Not only was he a great sportsman, and he had a really positive outlook on life. His compassion, integrity and passion are the values that we can hold dear today and close to us, whether in China or Scotland. That's what made him such a great legend and why we still remember him today," said Catriona Radcliffe, head of the Scottish government office in China.

"It helps us remember that the connection between people in China and people in Scotland is so important. The China-Scotland connection and those values ring true wherever you are in China, in Scotland or wherever in the world," Radcliffe said.

Liu Jianbin, director of the Tianjin Sports Museum, said that regardless of how Liddell's identity and environment changed, he remained consistent at heart, practicing his simple beliefs and pursuing the meaning of life, and that the spirit and strength transcend time and space inspiring people.