This Saturday at 6.30am (CST), athletes from all over the globe will march in unison (some in tomato and egg costumes, but parading nonetheless) to embrace the pride of competing on behalf of their country.
For most viewers, the Games are only as enthralling as the stories behind each athlete, which is why we decided to introduce a handful of the top competitors hailing from the PRD, our ‘home away from home.’
Chinese mainland is sending 416 athletes to Rio in total, 43 of which are based in Guangdong province. From windsurfing babes to star shooters, here are the top names to watch for at this year’s Olympics:
From Guangzhou
Liu Shiwen (Table Tennis, Aug 12)
Born in 1991, Liu first picked up a paddle at age 4 before going on to win dozens of junior championships and eventually the World Cup in 2009, 2012 and 2013. She has consistently ranked No. 1 or 2 in the world for women’s table tennis, and is a favorite to take home a medal this year during her Olympic debut.
Yu Hexin (Men’s 50m Freestyle, Aug 12; Men’s 100m Freestyle, Aug 10)
After revered swimmer Zhou Jiawei retired, many considered 20-year-old Yu to be ‘the successor of Guangdong swimming.’ Born and raised in Guangzhou, Yu is a member of the provincial team, where he shines in both the men’s 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle. This is his first time competing in the Olympics.
Feng Shanshan (Women’s Individual Golf, Aug 17)
The first player in China to become a member of the LPGA Tour, 28-year-old Feng has secured four victories on the tour, including the 2012 LPGA Championship, where she shot a bogey-free 67 in the final round to win by two strokes. After that victory, she moved from 10th to fifth in the Women’s World Golf Rankings. Feng is the first golfer from China (male or female) to win a major LPGA championship.
Wang Riwei (Men’s Canoe Single 1000m, Aug 15)
Born in 1993 in Guangzhou, Wang took up canoeing at age 13, training on the city’s network of tributaries. In 2014, he won a silver medal at the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea and was named an International Elite Athlete by the General Administration of Sports in China earlier this year. Watch for him in the men’s 1000-meter canoe single on August 15.
Zhang Fusheng (Shooting, Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Piston, Aug 12)
In July of this year, 22-year-old Zhang placed first in the 25-meter rapid fire pistol men's final in Bangkok, Thailand, collecting his first victory in an ISSF World Cup stage. Though currently ranked 22nd in the world, Zhang has been steadily improving throughout the past two years, and is highly favored to place among the top three at Rio.
From Shenzhen
Liu Hong (Women’s 20km Walk, Aug 20)
The world record holder over the Olympic 20-kilometer distance with a time of 1:24:38 hours (set in 2015), race walker Liu (age 29, based in Futian, Shenzhen) placed fourth at the Summer Olympics in both 2008 and 2012. Last year, she took home a gold at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, and is in the running for a medal at Rio.
Yi Jianlian (Basketball Men’s Tournament, Aug 7, 9, 11, 13, 15)
The face of Coca Cola and Yili – a pink, yogurt-like beverage popular in South China – Yi (age 28) is currently a member of the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association. He’s also played in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets), Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks and was selected to join the Chinese national team at the Olympics in 2004, 2008 and 2012, where he ranked well in points, rebounds and blocks.
Huang Bokai (Men’s Pole Vault, Aug 14)
Ranking fifth at the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2014, Huang (age 20) is transitioning from youth competitions to professional track and field as he journeys to Rio next week. Growing up in Shenzhen, Huang first rose to fame at a track and field contest in Bao’an District when he was just 9 years old. He set an Asian junior record in pole-vaulting this year at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Qatar with a height of 5.75 meters.
He Zi (Diving: Women’s 3-Meter Springboard, Aug 13)
Rejoining the Shenzhen diving team in 2005 after a brief stint between 1996-1998, He (age 25) ranks among the top divers in the world. She took home silver in the women’s 3-meter springboard at the 2012 Summer Olympics and gold in the women’s 3-meter springboard synchronized diving (with Wu Minxia) that same year.
Chen Peina (Women’s RS:X – Windsurfing, Aug 9)
Though not yet well known among Chinese or international sports fans, 27-year-old Chen, born in Shantou, Guangdong, is ranked third in the world for RS:X and secured first place at the RS:X World Championships in Al Mussanah last September. Watch this Shenzhen resident compete on Wednesday, August 10 (CST).
[Cover image via sportslogos.net]
READ MORE: Six of the Best Places to Watch the Olympics in Guangzhou
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