Certain Chinese teams struggle at Olympics

ShareThis

BEIJING -- It was a day to try to save face.At the Olympics, the host nation automatically qualifies for every team sport. So China got berths in all 14 such men's and women's sports, even those in which it looked to be hopelessly overmatched.A country can't be good in every sport, but the idea is avoid as much embarrassment as possible. That hasn't worked out too well with the Americans in men's team handball, a sport in which they are 4-26-1 all-time and usually only qualify when the Olympics are in the U.S.When Monday's final day of pool play rolled around, two sports remained in which the Chinese had lost each match: Men's team handball and men's water polo.Thanks to good old New Zealand, China didn't get blanked in men's soccer or men's field hockey. China has one tie in each against the Kiwis while losing everything else.On Monday, the Chinese hoped Croatia would be equally cooperative. The men's handball team came in 0-4 against that nation at the Olympic Sport Gymnasium.Next door at Yingdong Natatorium, starting just 55 minutes later, China's men's water polo team also faced Croatia while also entering 0-4. Certainly, the Chinese could squeeze out one win for their dedicated fans.It looked as if that might happen early in handball. The Chinese took an 11-6 lead, and fans were dancing in the aisles and waving flags.Alas, Croatia came back to win 33-22. So what were the fans doing at the end?Dancing in the aisles and waving flags."I feel they're still our heroes even if they lose," said Chen Lei, 28, who held up a big flag while she wore a headband that read "China."But what about those Chinese table-tennis players who say they are told that getting a silver medal in the Olympics is losing?That sport is a national passion. Nobody here expected much out of team handball, with the men qualifying for the Olympics for the first time."It is an honor to play in this Olympics tournament," said coach Yan Weiming, whose team finished 0-5 while being outscored by an average of 32.8-20.8 per game. "We get an entry because China is a host. I think we look at this as a chance to practice and this as a learning opportunity. Most of the Chinese players are very young, and they do not have the experiences of the international tournaments."Yan said his players got "nervous" after taking an early lead. As for the water polo players, they looked nervous before jumping into the pool.The Chinese fell behind 7-0 at halftime and were walloped 16-4. While the support wasn't quite as good as it was at handball, the fans still roared their approval when China scored two late goals in what one supposes was water-polo garbage time."I feel very bad for the team," said Fan Yiji, who was indeed being a fan as he waved his flag and cheered. "But it is difficult because the game of water polo is not very popular here."While those on the team no doubt appreciate Fan's sympathy, they don't feel they need it yet."I am not worried," said goaltender Ge Weiging, whose 0-5 team is being outscored by an average of 12.8-5 a game. "We still have a chance to win in the second round."While China's men's handballers are done, Olympic water polo teams play it out for all final places. So China's team has a chance to avoid losing in the scintillating battle for 11th and 12th place.There is hope for water polo fans. As for those at China's final men's team handball game, at least one left disgusted."I am disappointed," David Liu, 40, said as the clock ticked down (actually it ticks up in handball) on another loss. "We have lost enough times already. We should have a win."Maybe it's not table tennis. But, out of 1.3 billion people, you better believe there's at least one handball observer who will be calling talk radio to vent.(Chris Tomasson writes for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver)