Making of an Asian Contender

By Janice Castro

After a 32-year absence, China wins hearts as well as medals

If the gymnastics gold medal of the U.S. men's m was "the miracle in Los Angeles," what does one call the Chinese performance? China had never gained the finals of any Olympic event, had in fact not competed in the Summer Games since 1952. But the People's Republic laid to rest all doubts about its athletic prowess on the first day in Los Angeles, when Pistol Shooter Xu Haifeng, 27, stood on the victory platform with a bird-of-paradise bouquet in his left hand and a gold medal around his neck. Said he: "I've come here representing a billion people, and they all had high expectations. China wants to wash away its image of being the weakling of Asia."

Wash it away it most certainly did, winning at least 31 medals, 15 of them gold, in ten sports, far more than Chinese officials had hoped for. At home, Olympic fever gripped the country. Four hours of television coverage were broadcast every day. China had thrilled to the exploits of its gymnasts (second in the men's team competition, third in the women's, five golds in individual events), and then, last week, anxiously awaited the finals between its women's volleyball team, world champions in 1982, and the U.S. Factories and offices came to a stop for a live telecast. When China clinched the gold, the country erupted in joy. Fireworks rocketed into the sky. In Peking an impromptu convoy of bicyclists waving flags headed for the U.S. embassy; security guards kept them from getting too close, but the crowd was in a jubilant mood. Even matters of state were momentarily put aside: the volleyball result was passed on to Communist Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang in the midst of a luncheon for visiting North Korean Premier Kang Song San. "Good! Good!" exclaimed Hu.

China's Los Angeles performance was an extraordinary debut. To protest Taiwan's presence at the Games, China boycotted the Olympics from 1956 to 1976. In 1979, Peking agreed to compete at future Games side by side with Taiwan, but then joined the U.S.-led 1980 Moscow boycott. Like U.S. Volleyball Ace Flo Hyman and her teammates, Chinese Spiker Lang Ping, better known as the "Iron Hammer," had patiently waited for another shot at Olympic glory.

One key to China's success is the nationwide system of part-time sports academies that have sprung up in recent years to bring along promising athletes. Among those trained at such schools is High Jumper Zhu Jianhua, 21, who took the bronze with a leap of 7 ft. 7 in. But perhaps most important, China decided it wanted to win. In place of the political sports slogan of the Mao Tse-tung era, "Friendship first, competition second," came a cross-court smash of a rallying cry: "Break out of Asia and advance on the world."

Chinese athletes did, and for every winner piously proclaiming that the victory was "for the Motherland," another, like Featherweight Lifter Chen Weiqiang, 26, put it more personally: "I got the gold medal, and it feels good." Before leaving China for the Games, Gymnast Li Ning, 20, who won three golds, a silver and a bronze, had spoken in a similar vein: "I am going to Los Angeles to pick up gold medals. I know what I am talking about, and I mean what I say."

Other, lesser lights hoped not so much to win as learn from some of the world's best. China's medal-less freestyle wrestlers, for example, spent mornings videotaping the matches of competitors, then discussed what they had seen. Heroes in China before they ever left for the U.S., thanks to an enthusiastic press campaign, Chinese athletes must have occasionally contemplated the rewards they will reap on returning. Under Peking's new incentives policy, every winner will receive close to $ 1,300 in such consumer goods as TV sets and tape recorders. That is the equivalent of four years' income for the average citizen.

While other athletes gained respect with outstanding performances, the Chinese charmed the U.S. audience with a mixture of competitiveness, grace and modesty. The divers gave little bows to the judges after they climbed out of the pool. The volleyball players exchanged high-fives. The men's basketball team, itchy for action before the Games began, trounced the Los Angeles police department squad (104-65) in a local gym.

After the medals are counted, the finest moments in any Olympics are those in which the spirit of the Games transcends politics. During the yacht races at Long Beach, members of the People's Republic squad pitched in to help Taiwan's yachtsmen prepare for their events. Said Hsueh Thomas, the captain of the Taiwan team: "They're sailors, we're sailors, and we're here for some friendly competition. Among sailors who cares about politics?" --By Janice Castro. Reportedby David Aikman/Peking and William Blaylock/ Los Angeles

With reporting by DAVID AIKMAN, William Blaylock