Guo Shuang, a Chinese cycling talent in the women's sprint, on Saturday vowed to beat other world elites in Beijing to end China's cycling gold drought at Olympic Games.
The 22-year-old rising star, who received high-level trainings abroad for six years, missed the Athens Olympics because she was too young then. But the Asian champion and Asian record holder is ready to stun the world in her Olympic debut on home soil.
"I have dreamed that moment for a thousand times. Beijing Olympics, I made it here, and winning a gold would be nice," Guo told Xinhua.
TALENTED GIRL
Born in Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, Guo showed her talent in cycling when she was just six years old.
One day, her family took the little girl to visit her grandmother, and she was left alone and played by herself outside the gate. She found there was a bike there and excitedly brought the bike to the street. Several hours later, Guo was able to ride the bike.
"That's a miracle tale for me. It might come from my parents. My father was a football player and my mother is a PE (Physical Education) teacher. They are both good at sports," said Guo with a smile.
Like other children, the 20-minute riding to and from school was the most frequent contact she had with a bike.
Guo's innate talent for cycling fully emerged after October 13, 1999, the date she would never forget when she was enrolled in the Jilin provincial cycling team.
Later on, she was crowned in the national youth group 200-meter and 500-meter time trial in both 2000 and 2001. In April 2001, 15-year old Guo went to the Beijing Asian Cycling Training Center and took part in the National Youth cycling training.
The 22-year-old consolidated her position in the Chinese finest cyclists by beating veteran Jiang Yonghua, the Athens silver medalist, to win the gold in the 2005 Chinese National Games.
She became an Olympic gold hopeful after taking the gold in sprint at the 2006 Doha Asiad, two bronze medals in sprint and keirin at the 2006 World Championships, and two silver medals in sprint and keirin at the 2007 World Championships.
TRAINING ABROAD
Since the women's cycling track 500-meter time trial was replaced by BMX in the Beijing Olympics, the women's sprint has become an Olympic gold-taking point for the Chinese Cycling Association (CCA). As part of the "2008 Strategy" for the Olympics, Guo was sent to Switzerland Cycling Training Center in 2002 and was coached by Frederick Magne, a French legend who had won seven world championships in sprint.
The hard-working girl devoted herself to daily training on the second day she arrived in Switzerland. During the past several years, she had been trained there for at least eight months each year.
According to Guo, the training in Switzerland features "little quantity, but high quality". Guo had experienced foreign methods of training in Beijing, so she quickly got used to the foreign training.
"I have already got used to be trained overseas, and most important thing is that everyone can see the results of being trained there," Guo said.
Training abroad has proven to be effective. At the 2003 World Youth Track Championships in Moscow, Guo snatched the gold medal in the women's 500-meter timed trial. Though Guo was too young to compete in the 2004 Athens Olympics, she won three out of six gold medals at the World Youth Cycling Championships that year, and took two silver medals in the 2005 and 2007 World Cups.
GOLD DREAM IN BEIJING
In April, the 22-year-old star suffered a heavy blow in the Manchester world track championships, where she finished fourth in sprint. However, Guo still keep high morale for the upcoming Olympics.
"Right now, I am in a good form. I even can not wait for the day (competition day) to come. I feel excited about competing with world top level sprinters. I have confidence on myself," Guo said.
"In Switzerland, following my coach's new strategies for Olympics, I tried my best to regain more energy during the past two month. I still need to practise before the Olympics," added Guo.
Under the guidance of her new coach Daniel Morelon, a former French cycling star with eight world championship and triple Olympic titles, Guo made some progress in speeding. She set a new Asian record of 200-meter in sprint in 12.002 seconds in Manchester.
"Guo is good at sprinting, but she need to be more stronger. Now she had became more muscular. I think six to eight cyclists have the chance to win the gold in her discipline," Morelon said.
At the Beijing Olympics, Guo will compete with British legend Victoria Pendeton, rising star Rebecca Romero and American specialist Jennie Reed in the women's sprint.
Guo said: "We all know each other well. Pendeton has speed and experience and Romero is physically strong. As for Reed, she beat me 2-1 in Manchester. I do not want that thing to happen again."
(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2008)