Xue Chen 薛晨 and Zhang Xi (CHN, Beach Volleyball)

Beach volleyball is one of the youngest sports in the Olympics. Because of its unique setting and interesting play, the event has seen its following grow the past few years. 

 

Xue and Zhang at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (Photos from leon li)

The duo of Xue Chen  薛晨 and Zhang Xi are China's best beach volleyball pair. Since their partnership began in 2006, Xue and Zhang had won bronze medals in the Beijing Olympics and the 2011 World Championships, on top of an Asian Games gold in 2006. The Chinese duo also have two Asian Beach Volleyball Championships titles.

Xue, the more popular of the pair, is younger by Zhang by four years. In 2006, the then 17-year old Xue grabbed Women's FIVB World Tour "Top Rookie" award.

They had a memorable run in 2010, when they broke the winning streak of the Brazilian pair of Franca-Silva at the FIVB World Tour Women's Final in Finland. 

Xue and Zhang will again compete for flag and country at the London Olympics. Grouped in Pool C of the preliminary round, the Chinese pair is slated to go head-to-head with Russia (Vasina – Vozakova), Switzerland (Kuhn – Zumkehr), and Greece (Arvaniti – Tsiartsiani).

Source:

Wikipedia

Liu Xuan 刘璇 (CHN, Gymnastics)

Liu Xuan 刘璇 is a retired Chinese gymnast. She now pursues a career in film and television.

 

Photos from china.com.cn and bagua.ifensi.com

Her curriculum vitae as a gymnast is impressive, to say the least. She had won a total of four Asian Games gold medals, on top of a lone silver medal. Liu reaped top honors at the balance beam at the 1998 Sabae World Cup, in addition to a bronze at the uneven bars. In her three appearances at the World Championships (1995, 1996, and 1997), Liu collected two bronzes and a silver.

Her reached the pinnacle of her career at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she topped the balance beam. Liu was also part of Chinese team that won bronze at the team event. The IOC nullified the performance of the Chinese team due to a failed doping test by one of the members.

Source:

Wikipedia

Zheng Jie 鄭潔 (CHN, Tennis)

Zheng Jie 鄭潔, together with Li Na 李娜, are the pioneers of women's professional tennis in China. Zheng is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist. 

Zheng at the 2010 U.S. Open. (Photo from Robbie Mendelson)

As an unseeded entry in 2008, Zheng made it as far as the last four in Wimbledon, becoming the first wild card to achieve the feat in the Ladies' Competition. En route to her breakout performance, Zheng had beaten 2006 French Open Champion Ana Ivanovic and the talented Nicole Vaidisova. She eventually crashed out of the competition, losing to Serena Williams. 

At the 2010 Australian Open, the mouth-watering prospect of an all-Chinese final was in the books, as both Zheng and Li Na made it as far as the semifinals. Zheng and Li, however, lost against Justin Henin and Serena Williams, respectively.

Zheng is currently ranked 27th in the world. Her highest ever placing was 15th back in 2009. To date, the Chinese tennis player has amassed 341 singles victories, 4 WTA titles, and 4 ITF crowns.

Source:

Wikipedia

Guo Jingjing 郭晶晶 (CHN, Diving Beauty)

Guo Jingjing 郭晶晶 is the most successful female Olympic diver of all-time. Guo made her Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta games, finishing 5th in the platform. Before she retired after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Guo had won a total of 3 Olympic gold medals and 1 Olympic silver medal - amongst her sizable collection of major championship titles.

Photo from Wikipedia

Just like the other titans of Chinese sport like Yao Ming 姚明 and Liu Xiang 刘翔, Guo is a celebrity in mainland China. Her good looks and impeccable athletic achievements combine to make her a marketer's dream. This however, got her in conflict with the Chinese sporting authorities, to much controversy.

Guo is a living legend of diving, tying American diving great Greg Louganis in terms of total Olympic golds won - a testament to the emergence of the erstwhile Sleeping Dragon in the sporting world.

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Eurosport