Chinese Paris Olympic champions promote sports spirit in Xinjiang

A team of 11 Chinese champions from the Paris Olympics meets local officials in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, on November 25, 2024. (Photo/Official WeChat account of Xinjiang government)

A team of 11 Chinese champions from the Paris Olympics kicked off their five-day lecture trip to Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Monday to share with the local residents their Olympic experiences and sporting spirit, according to the local government on Tuesday.

On the first day of their lecture tour, representatives of Olympic athletes, including Pan Zhanle, Zhang Yufei, and Li Wenwen, were warmly welcomed by teachers and students at an event held at Xinjiang Normal University, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Athletes Li Yuehong, Pan Zhanle, and Li Wenwen shared their personal struggles during their speeches, offering unique perspectives on Team China's journey to bring honor to the motherland at the Paris Olympics. They vividly recounted the dedication and glorious moments of Chinese athletes, which resonated deeply with the audience and elicited a warm round of applause, according to the report.

A student from the university told the Global Times on Tuesday that during the event, some students gifted the champions with their own artwork, and the athletes also participated in the traditional Xinjiang dance alongside the students.

During another meeting with the athletes on Monday, Ma Xingrui, secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China, said that the development momentum in Xinjiang is strong and energetic in all fields.

He noted that the confidence of officials and people from all ethnic backgrounds has significantly increased, with high spirits prevailing. He also highlighted the positive development trend in both the northern and southern regions of the Tianshan Mountains.

"We need to learn from the Olympic athletes' belief of prioritizing the country above all and striving to bring honor to the nation, and their character of self-transcendence and self-improvement, so as to better revitalize the spirit of unity and progress," Ma said.

The Olympic champions have arrived in Xinjiang, aiming to better promote the spirit of Chinese sports, tell the good stories of Chinese sports, and promote reform, development, and stability of Xinjiang, especially in deepening cultural nourishment, Gao Zhidan, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, said on Monday.

Gao added that the Olympic athletes will have in-depth exchanges and interactions with people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, especially the youth, to share their experiences spread their spirit, and contribute their sports power to forge the strong sense of community of the Chinese nation in Xinjiang.

The Olympic champions said that they would actively support the development of sports in Xinjiang and contribute to the cultivation of sports talents and improvement of sports levels in Xinjiang.

Wang Jiang, an expert at the Institute of China's Borderland Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that sports development in Xinjiang has flourished, especially with the recent National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities in South China's Hainan Province, which have seen participation from many ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

Wang said that the visit of the Olympic champions is beneficial for the long-standing sports culture in Xinjiang, particularly in promoting sports among youngsters.