Open China eases athlete pressure: Gao

By Lucy Hornby

JINCHANG, China (Reuters) - China's development into a more open society means its athletes are under less pressure despite national expectations of a huge medal haul at the Beijing Olympics, according to diving great Gao Min.

Gao, China's "Diving Queen", has said she considered suicide before the Barcelona Olympics of 1992 such was the pressure on her to retain the three meter springboard title she had won in Seoul four years earlier.

China needs a major contribution from the current diving team if it is to overtake the United States and top the medals table at the Aug 8-24 Games, but Gao said the overall atmosphere was still healthier.

"I think right now the pressure is less because Chinese are starting to forgive," the 37-year-old told Reuters in an interview.

"Like if you didn't win, they understand you were tired; if you get an injury we understand not to push you too hard; if you lose we say 'It's okay, there might be a next time'."

Gao began diving when China was just embarking on its economic reforms and had few indoor swimming pools. Her team trained outdoors even in winter when temperatures were just a few degrees above freezing.

Chinese athletes of her generation felt the world's perception of China depended on their success, and they had little exposure compared with the young athletes of today, who are allowed to talk more openly and be themselves, she said.

"Our country had just started, we were not modern enough or economically strong enough, but we really wanted to know about the world and the world wanted to know about China. Sport was the fastest way for the world to know about the Chinese."

OLYMPIC SPIRIT

As far as Gao is concerned, the Olympics presents a chance for China's young generation, who many had considered to be materialistic and self-centered, to learn to share and work together.

Especially so after the devastating May 12 earthquake in Gao's home province of Sichuan that left more than 85,000 people dead or missing.

The unprecedented surge of donations and volunteer efforts after the disaster coupled with the droves coming out to welcome the Olympic torch as it travels around the country were cause for optimism, she said.

"This torch relay and this earthquake really showed our worries (about a selfish younger generation) are nothing. When we needed it, our Chinese can get together to fight."

Gao did her own bit to spread the Olympic message and boost morale among survivors when she was in Sichuan with other Chinese sporting greats a couple days after the earthquake, and she was at it again on Tuesday in neighboring Gansu.

"I hope you kids feel the full spirit of the Olympics. Help out each other equally, don't look down on someone because they run slower than you," she told children at an Olympics-themed event organized by Australian mining company BHP Billiton, which provides the metal for the Olympic medals.