Nice guys do finish first sometimes

Li Ning likes what he sees from China's gymnasts, and not just in competition

Beijing - Li Ning was, of coursed, pleased to watch China's men triumph at the World Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo.

But what made him downright giddy was watching the athletes blossom into charismatic individuals and a likeable team.

The 48-year-old won three gold medals at the 1984 Olympics.

"To be frank, I don't worry about the results too much. Winning and losing are both normal in sports," said Li, who invited some former world champions to watch the final at his company's headquarters on Wednesday.

"Of course, I'm happy to see them win. But what I appreciate more is that the team appears much more open to the public than we were 30 years ago. They better show the sport of gymnastics both on the off the court."

In Li's day, gymnasts were only allowed a few minutes with reporters after they competed, and their lives away from the sport remained mysterious to the fans, he said.

"The society is totally different now, and thus our management system has kept abreast with the times," Li said. "The athletes enjoy more personal freedom and the public is also able to learn more about their personal stories. It is good for the sport.

"In terms of this, I think they really have better conditions than we did."

Even romance remained a taboo until a few years ago, as coaches felt it distracted from training.

But directors increasingly respect athletes' choices in their personal lives.

Chen Yibing, the captain of the men's team, won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. He began dating Olympic trampoline champion He Wenna soon after the Games, and the affair became a hot topic in the media.

But Chen shared his joy on his micro blog, and even announced their breakup earlier this year.

"Now the athletes have more ways to communicate with the fans," said Li Xiaopeng, a 16-time world champion.

"They don't only rely on the newspaper or TV, but can speak to them directly, which better enables fans to feel close to them.

"I was on the team for more than 10 years, and I can feel the change. I like the change. Athletes are just normal people. We have our off-court life. I think the fans like to see each of us as individuals with a personal story."

China Daily