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Prologue already visible for China at 2008 Olympics (4) |
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13:42, December 25, 2007 |
History shows that host nations always get higher than normal gold medal count because of the fervor to do one's best in front of home crowds and the national prestige to be an Olympic champion.
However, what the Chinese diving team leader Zhou Jihong worries about is whether her divers can overcome the greatest ever mental stress as being a host of the Olympic Games.
Zhou, women's 10-meter platform champion at the 1984 Olympic Games, admitted that mental stress could be a fatal factor for the Chinese divers if they falter.
"It could be the two sides of a coin. Being a host does not necessarily go with more advantages and titles. It can be disadvantages, especially to the events like diving, shooting and gymnastics," she said during the national championships in September.
According to a survey conducted by the Chinese shooting team recently, all the host teams suffered a slump in the sport on their home turf during the previous Olympic Games.
World champion hurdler Liu, who remains China's best hope of track gold next year, also admitted he felt the pressure of expectations.
"People want me not only to win a medal, but to get gold. This kind of pressure is indeed very heavy," Liu has said on several occasions.
"After all, there are currently many outstanding athletes in the 110m hurdles. Any of them could be No. 1."
In sports like diving or shooting, even some routines of everyday life could cause a disaster.
"A phone call or a chat from the family members before the event takes place, athletes may lose concentration and feel overloaded pressure. It may make for unstable performance," Zhou said.
Her ideas were shared by SSAC deputy director Cui.
"Everyone thinks that host athletes enjoy huge support but it can be pressure too, especially when our advantageous events are those events which need steadiness and delicate techniques," he said.
The SSAC has been bringing in psychologists to help athletes cope with the pressure of competing on home soil, according to Cui.
And for the diving team, a Yoga course has been added recently to the divers' Sunday schedule in bid to loosen up the athletes' nerves.
"There are many ways to help divers improve their mental stability and consistency during daily life. I hope they can put the stress aside and perform their best in front of home crowd at the Beijing Olympic Games, " Zhou said.
Zhou pointed out that both veterans and inexperienced rookies have the same mental stress problem.
"The Olympic Games is different from other big world meets, and it is being held in China. The pressure is everywhere. I can't prevent my athletes from the reality. What I can do is to help them become physically and mentally strong," Zhou said.
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