Chinese gymnast hasn't seen parents or had a day off in over a year

[PatrickDurden]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08162008...kid_124661.htm

A diminutive, doe-eyed Chinese gymnast accused of being too young to compete at the Beijing Olympics gave a heartbreaking glimpse into her past year - saying she had not seen her parents, did not know if they saw her Olympic performance and has trained nonstop without a day off.

Yang Yilin, who won a bronze medal behind Americans Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson in Thursday's all-around gymnastics competition, stood like a gazelle caught in the headlights as the US anthem played during the medal ceremony.

Afterward, Yang - who the Chinese claim is 16 but could be as young as 14 - said in a heartbreaking interview that she hasn't been allowed to take a vacation in "more than a year."

When The Associated Press asked her whether her parents were in Beijing to see her compete, Yang said, "I don't know."

Asked when was the last time she went home, the soft-spoken Yang replied, "Ummm . . . before I joined the national team."

When was that?

"More than a year ago," she said.

Will you go on a vacation after the Olympics?

"I don't know," Yang said.

Asked how many days off she gets a year, Yang paused and said, "I have not had a holiday since I joined the national team."

The 4-foot-10 Yang - along with He Kexin and Jiang Yuyuan - was part of the team that won the gold medal in the team event Tuesday, edging out the Americans, who took silver.

Questions have swirled over the past week about the three gymnasts because of Chinese competition records and government-run media reports that listed them as under 16, which would make them ineligible to compete in gymnastics events at the Olympics.

Despite the controversy earlier this week, Yang had kind words for Liukin and Johnson.

"They are very confident," she said.

Yang, who weighs just 77 pounds, said she had joined China's national training camp, based in Beijing, about 18 months ago and has not been allowed to return home to her native Guangdong, a city 1,100 miles from the Chinese capital, since then.

--------------

This militant style training for these Chinese kids is horrible.

[pandaemon666]

hah i knew something was up. i was watching this thing yesterday. the look on her face after finding out that she had won bronze was one of sheer terror like as if she knew she was going to get thrashed for losing. damn chinese government.... look at those atheletes man. not one of them look happy when they find out they came in 2nd or 3rd place. this ****s almost nazi like. hope that poor kid turns out ok.

[thicky]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08162008...kid_124661.htm

A diminutive, doe-eyed Chinese gymnast accused of being too young to compete at the Beijing Olympics gave a heartbreaking glimpse into her past year - saying she had not seen her parents, did not know if they saw her Olympic performance and has trained nonstop without a day off.

Yang Yilin, who won a bronze medal behind Americans Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson in Thursday's all-around gymnastics competition, stood like a gazelle caught in the headlights as the US anthem played during the medal ceremony.

Afterward, Yang - who the Chinese claim is 16 but could be as young as 14 - said in a heartbreaking interview that she hasn't been allowed to take a vacation in "more than a year."

When The Associated Press asked her whether her parents were in Beijing to see her compete, Yang said, "I don't know."

Asked when was the last time she went home, the soft-spoken Yang replied, "Ummm . . . before I joined the national team."

When was that?

"More than a year ago," she said.

Will you go on a vacation after the Olympics?

"I don't know," Yang said.

Asked how many days off she gets a year, Yang paused and said, "I have not had a holiday since I joined the national team."

The 4-foot-10 Yang - along with He Kexin and Jiang Yuyuan - was part of the team that won the gold medal in the team event Tuesday, edging out the Americans, who took silver.

Questions have swirled over the past week about the three gymnasts because of Chinese competition records and government-run media reports that listed them as under 16, which would make them ineligible to compete in gymnastics events at the Olympics.

Despite the controversy earlier this week, Yang had kind words for Liukin and Johnson.

"They are very confident," she said.

Yang, who weighs just 77 pounds, said she had joined China's national training camp, based in Beijing, about 18 months ago and has not been allowed to return home to her native Guangdong, a city 1,100 miles from the Chinese capital, since then.

--------------

This militant style training for these Chinese kids is horrible.

so what?

Thats just how they train them

In Australia our Australian Institute of Sport is in Canberra, which is 2 hours from Sydney but isolated from the rest of the country.

Of course that girls parents couldnt afford to visit her but nobody forces her to train there and the parents can take her out anytime.

[Heisman2]

so what?

Thats just how they train them

In Australia our Australian Institute of Sport is in Canberra, which is 2 hours from Sydney but isolated from the rest of the country.

Of course that girls parents couldnt afford to visit her but nobody forces her to train there and the parents can take her out anytime.

I'm almost positive the parents are not allowed to take them out.

[shiznut123]

I lol'ed at the advertisement links at the bottom of the article.

[pandaemon666]

I lol'ed at the advertisement links at the bottom of the article.

strong lolz

[repsDTGdaily]

yeah i get ads for penis enlargements a lot

[Michael~Diablo]

They had a thing on our news the other day about how the chinese are picked out and trained at a young age. They had a 5 year boy doing gymnastics, he was trying to do a handstand, the instructor was hitting the kid with a stick to make him do it properly.
Brutal.

[Andrew99]

I'm almost positive the parents are not allowed to take them out.

You'd be wrong. Its totally voluntary. The government does not take children, they have an option to go to boarding school to work towards the Olympics when they get to the national level. The Chinese government supports their athletes. In America if you are talented, but aren't well off, you may never get a chance to train to reach your full potential. You could possibly go to a corporation and ask them to sponsor you, but that's how it is over here. The Chinese find that bizzarre.

[PatrickDurden]

You'd be wrong. Its totally voluntary. The government does not take children, they have an option to go to boarding school to work towards the Olympics when they get to the national level. The Chinese government supports their athletes. In America if you are talented, but aren't well off, you may never get a chance to train to reach your full potential. You could possibly go to a corporation and ask them to sponsor you, but that's how it is over here. The Chinese find that bizzarre.

I find it bizarre how the Chinese seem so militant and machine like in everything they do, like they have no feelings. Their government laughs at human rights.

[Woopster]

Ive been to china and seen the kid athletes train.

Its considered a honour there for them to be accepted into the national sports programmes. Its a chance for them to work at something and provide for their family in the future. Oppurtunities arent great for the average family there like the U.S etc so you have to see it from that point of view. Its basically the same as a kid from the ghetto in the U.S getting a full scholarship, of course its tough, but they'd rather have the oppurtunity than be poor.

Edit: Ive seen kids getting hit with sticks in the sports institute! To be honest though, the coaches all seem to love their athletes and take great pride in them. It was never a case of beating them for the sake of it, they would just hit them with the stick and it would usually make everyone else in the gymnasium turn around and laugh together at the kid. Its quite a family atmosphere at the training facitilies because they see each other all day everyday.

[healthdivs]

You'd be wrong. Its totally voluntary. The government does not take children, they have an option to go to boarding school to work towards the Olympics when they get to the national level. The Chinese government supports their athletes. In America if you are talented, but aren't well off, you may never get a chance to train to reach your full potential. You could possibly go to a corporation and ask them to sponsor you, but that's how it is over here. The Chinese find that bizzarre.

Yes.

I find it bizarre how the Chinese seem so militant and machine like in everything they do, like they have no feelings. Their government laughs at human rights.

No.

Ive been to china and seen the kid athletes train.

Its considered a honour there for them to be accepted into the national sports programmes. Its a chance for them to work at something and provide for their family in the future. Oppurtunities arent great for the average family there like the U.S etc so you have to see it from that point of view. Its basically the same as a kid from the ghetto in the U.S getting a full scholarship, of course its tough, but they'd rather have the oppurtunity than be poor.

Edit: Ive seen kids getting hit with sticks in the sports institute! To be honest though, the coaches all seem to love their athletes and take great pride in them. It was never a case of beating them for the sake of it, they would just hit them with the stick and it would usually make everyone else in the gymnasium turn around and laugh together at the kid. Its quite a family atmosphere at the training facitilies because they see each other all day everyday.

Yes.

[theGunner]

You'd be wrong. Its totally voluntary. The government does not take children, they have an option to go to boarding school to work towards the Olympics when they get to the national level. The Chinese government supports their athletes. In America if you are talented, but aren't well off, you may never get a chance to train to reach your full potential. You could possibly go to a corporation and ask them to sponsor you, but that's how it is over here. The Chinese find that bizzarre.

have you been to china before? or understand chinese culture?

yes it's 'voluntary,' but in china, where many of these kids come from poor rural backgrounds, doing this is the only outlet from which they can escape poverty. they do this for themselves as well as their families, because if they can win a gold, their showered with praise and their families are set for life (case in point - the chinese 110 hurdle guy in athens)

to say that they can just leave is absurd... leave to what? if their parents 'go get them' their not helping at all

[NIUNIU_SAN]

Well if you feel so bad for the kid, you pay for her parents to travel 1100 miles from Guandong. 1 year, big deal - it's common for children to be away from their parents for a year, sometimes a lot more to go to school, never mind train for the National team.

The media's ongoing campaign against China is bad sportsmanship and verging on propganda - you're a clown if you suck it in. That kid and her parents are proud of the small sacrifice to compete at this level.

Bloody hell, bet her parents are over the moon to get rid of the little scrubber for a while - I know many parents send their brats to boarding school


Oh and that girl will end up more cultured and intelligent than any teen who spends their opinion forming years at their mummy's house. Some of you lot are pushing 20 and are still at home sucking mummy's teat.

[Maine]

It's why the Chinese will always standout ahead of every other nation in competitions such as gymnastics, it's because they will put their nation's honour ahead of the athlete.

[user34566548717114]

Chinas training = Sparta

nothing wrong with that

[Arquine]

Chinas training = Sparta

nothing wrong with that

THIS! IS! CHINAA!

[Andrew99]

have you been to china before? or understand chinese culture?

yes it's 'voluntary,' but in china, where many of these kids come from poor rural backgrounds, doing this is the only outlet from which they can escape poverty. they do this for themselves as well as their families, because if they can win a gold, their showered with praise and their families are set for life (case in point - the chinese 110 hurdle guy in athens)

to say that they can just leave is absurd... leave to what? if their parents 'go get them' their not helping at all

Yes, I understand Chinese culture. My entire wife's family is in China and my wife was born and educated in China and moved here as an adult. So, what's your point? That some people are poor and their best alternative is to go into these programs? At least they have the chance to do that. In the US, they would have none.

[Woopster]

Yes, I understand Chinese culture. My entire wife's family is in China and my wife was born and educated in China and moved here as an adult. So, what's your point? That some people are poor and their best alternative is to go into these programs? At least they have the chance to do that. In the US, they would have none.

Exactly. I doubt OP has been to china or understand thats different cultures have different mentalities.

[theGunner]

At least they have the chance to do that. In the US, they would have none.

right, because the us doesn't give enough handouts as it stands

i'm just saying, it's easy to say that she could easily leave, or that her parents could go get her anytime they want, but from their standpoint it's not such a cut and dry decision

btw, i'm not saying you don't understand chinese culture, but being married to a chinese person and actually living there for several years will give you entirely different perspectives

[hurstville]

Every chinese gold medalist gets about $1.1million USD.

Which she got from the team win + her bronze which would be another few hundred K.

= Don't feel too bad for her + her parents.

[tund3]

Every chinese gold medalist gets about $1.1million USD.

source?

[JIGSAW]

source?

stfu

[Billster]

I find it bizarre how the Chinese seem so militant and machine like in everything they do, like they have no feelings. Their government laughs at human rights.

make a statement after u;ve actually been to that country,

seriously some strong retards in the misc

[TheMisker]

yeah i get ads for penis enlargements a lot

Sounds like your computer knows you well.

[ho_124]

I hate how everyone is like China is some huge opressive machine, no one has souls there... Ironically look at the US, slowly taking away personal freedoms and americans somehow just accept it. US takes over Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction couldnt find any so now they are the LIBERATORS for the people of iraq, and the american people still buy that sh*t. Yea sure China isn't nearly as advanced in human rights as north americans, but dont make them look like the most evil government when US does stuff just as bad.

[Samantha905]

its like that in alot of middle eastern countries.

russia, japan etc.

[My_Porsche]

Every chinese gold medalist gets about $1.1million USD.

Which she got from the team win + her bronze which would be another few hundred K.

lol wut?

Do you have any sort of credible source for that claim? Considering the US athletes get $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze, I find it very hard to believe that a communist government would hand out 45 times as much money for a gold medal as the US.

[Esoteric-Amal]

Ive been to china and seen the kid athletes train.

Its considered a honour there for them to be accepted into the national sports programmes. Its a chance for them to work at something and provide for their family in the future. Oppurtunities arent great for the average family there like the U.S etc so you have to see it from that point of view. Its basically the same as a kid from the ghetto in the U.S getting a full scholarship, of course its tough, but they'd rather have the oppurtunity than be poor.

Edit: Ive seen kids getting hit with sticks in the sports institute! To be honest though, the coaches all seem to love their athletes and take great pride in them. It was never a case of beating them for the sake of it, they would just hit them with the stick and it would usually make everyone else in the gymnasium turn around and laugh together at the kid. Its quite a family atmosphere at the training facitilies because they see each other all day everyday.

They beat them to perform well, and yet you see nothing wrong with this?

[NIUNIU_SAN]

They beat them to perform well, and yet you see nothing wrong with this?

Context, google it.

Also, you're 34.