KUALA LUMPUR – Underrated, overlooked, and unexpected – these words perfectly describe the Chinese women’s hockey team’s stunning performance at the Paris Olympics, where they clinched the silver medal as underdogs in a tournament dominated by European powerhouses.
Known as Xuělián (The Snow Lotuses) among hockey fans in the country, the team, guided by former Australia player Alyson Annan, defied all expectations by toppling formidable sides like Australia, Belgium, France and Japan to reach the final against the mighty Netherlands.
The last time China reached an Olympic final was at Beijing 2008 on home soil.
In fact, the Chinese women’s team, with an average age of 24, also recorded the biggest win at this year’s Paris Olympics by defeating France 7-1 in a group-stage match.
With the team having been relatively quiet in their previous three participations in the world’s biggest multisport event, not securing a podium finish, China’s sudden rise in the hockey scene has left many wondering.
So, what is the secret behind the team’s remarkable run in Paris, and how did they manage to achieve the unachievable by toppling top-ranked sides?
Speaking to Scoop from China’s Liaoning province, the team’s senior consultant, Kim Sang-ryul, revealed that the secret behind their success was mainly down to intense training sessions with the Chinese national men’s hockey team.
The 69-year-old South Korean, who is also considered one of the best coaches in the game, explained that training with the men provided his players an extra advantage in terms of improving their speed and positioning during matches.
“Our girls are never satisfied with their training and always have the attitude of wanting to learn and try something new in every session. A couple of years ago, I suggested to the head coach that we should have sparring sessions with the men’s team to allow the girls to experience the same training intensity.
“Since then, the girls quickly adapted and started showing better progress as their positioning and speed improved. Additionally, we maintain a competitive structure within the team where players can be dropped if they don’t gel well with the team.
“Because of this, our players work hard to fight for their spots and always prove themselves during training sessions. Sparring with the men might be new for us in Asia, but in Europe, it is a common practice as players there often follow this routine.
“Furthermore, we made sure to find the right teams for them to compete against before the Paris Olympics and were active in participating in tournaments like the FIH Pro League. Even when travelling abroad for friendly matches, we sometimes have a series of friendly sessions with the men’s team, playing at least two quarters,” said Sang-ryul when contacted.
The Chinese women’s hockey team are currently ranked sixth in the world with a total of 2,567.31 points, thanks to their silver medal-winning success at the Paris Olympics.
Sang-ryul, who also guided China’s men’s team to silver at the 2006 Doha Asian Games and the women’s team to fifth place at the 2012 London Olympics, said that the Chinese government is very supportive in elevating the standards of the game through its funding for the Chinese Hockey Association.
“The government truly cares about the game, and their funding for hockey has been increasing for activities such as scouting more talent and sending the national teams on international tours over the years.
“More hockey leagues are also being established, and more players are taking up the sport thanks to the Chinese government. The amount of funding is quite similar to what the Indian government allocates for its teams.
“As we all know, China has been a powerhouse in many Olympic sports, and the government aims to excel in hockey as well, aiming to surpass its neighbour, India. This is a long-term project, and we are confident that we will continue to improve in the years to come,” Sang-ryul added.
For the record, it was reported that the Indian government has funded approximately INR 585 crores (RM305 million) over the last nine years for its national team, including the construction of 20 training infrastructures across the country. – August 20, 2024