Sports in China

Walking, running, “ball games” (encompassing both tiny balls like table tennis & badminton and large balls like soccer or basketball), and “square dancing” were the most popular forms of sports among adults aged 20 and up. Success in these Olympic games is especially important for a country like China, which often struggles to project a positive picture of itself to the rest of the world. Running, fitness, table tennis, basketball, soccer and winter sports are popular among China’s middle class. There are various sports trends that leisure athletes in China are finding for themselves and the vast governmental support of elite sports. Martial Arts is a traditional sport in China. 

Running

For Chinese people, running is both the most popular and the most important sport. Running is the main activity for 44% of sports-playing Chinese.

The number of significant (more than 800 participants) marathon events registered each year demonstrates the rapid popularity of long-distance running in China. From 22 events in 2011 to 1102 events last year, this number has increased by 50 times in the last few years.

“There were over one million marathon runners in China in 2016,” claims Martin Kössler, a China expert. He helps sports and outdoor enterprises in the Chinese market, among other things.

Badminton

Badminton is one of China’s most popular sports. People can be found playing badminton on the side of the road or in parks. Badminton allows Chinese people to participate in sports practically anywhere and anytime due to its convenience. It is also a prominent national sport in China.

According to one report, more than four million RMB is spent on badminton equipment online every day in China.

Thanks to several well-known badminton players, badminton is a popular sport in China. A two-time Olympic game-winner and five-time world champion, Lin Dan is one of China’s most popular athletes and is well-known throughout Asia. According to ESPN, he is in the top 100 most famous athletes in the world.

Swimming

Swimming is increasingly becoming a national sport that appeals to many individuals.

Swimming pools have been increasingly popular in recent years, not just among older generations, and there has been an increase in the problem of overcrowding. For example, following the Beijing Olympics game, the Water Cube has been made available to the general public at a reasonable cost when no races or events are scheduled.

Apart from swimming, Chinese people enjoy diving solely for visual amusement. The Chinese people were enthralled by the diving duo’s amazing performance in various key international matches.

Basketball

In metropolitan locations, pick-up basketball is very popular among young people. Basketball players are considered cooler or more trendy by girls in high schools than soccer players. The NBA’s largest international market is China. Basketball is played by around 18% of Chinese athletes.

Yao Ming, the great Chinese basketball player, is also responsible for his fame among Chinese people. Yao Ming is the 1st Chinese player to have a significant impact on the NBA and the world’s first Chinese athlete superstar. The American media hailed him as salvation for NBA sports. In the year 2006, he was named China’s most influential athlete. 

Yoga

The yoga market is rapidly expanding & becoming more profitable in China. Yoga practitioners are women rather than men. Just now, a short search on Dianping yielded almost 2000 yoga studios in Beijing. It may be as cheap or exclusive as people like, and women believe it makes them look thinner.

Football

Basketball may be surpassed by football—Chinese athletes who also play soccer account for 12% of all athletes in the country. The Chinese government has set an ambitious objective of winning the World Cup in 2050. In 2025, China is expected to have 50,000 soccer academies. As a result, China desires to revitalise, possibly because the level of Chinese football was respectable before its professionalisation in 1994.

Foreign professionals can make the last years of their careers more enjoyable here. Carlos Tevez of Argentina, Hulk of Brazil, and Jackson Martinez of Mexico are among the most well-known soccer players that have consented to a transfer to China. In 2016, the Columbian moved from Atletico Madrid to Guangzhou Evergrande for 42 million euros.

Table Tennis

Table Tennis is the Chinese national sport. Since 1959, the ping pong players of china have won 60% of men’s World Championships & nearly all women’s World Championships. The United States table tennis players were invited to visit China in the year 1972 and play with the Chinese team, resulting in the well-known “Ping Pong Diplomacy.”

Volleyball

Volleyball is a sport that Chinese people like. The Chinese women’s national volleyball team is the most successful in women’s volleyball, having won the Olympic title twice, in 1984 and 2004. In the 1980s, China won five straight world titles. Despite a rocky period in the late 1990s, the team recovered and won the World Cup in 2003 and a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics games.

Bicycle

The “Kingdom of Bicycles” was given to China. By 1987, the country had over 500 million bicycles. There is one bicycle for every two people in the population. Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation that can be found all around the country. However, as the world has become more developed, many people have begun to use public transportation or a private car.

Martial arts

Chinese martial art is regarded as the essence of Chinese culture and is an important aspect of Chinese traditional culture. It has various fighting skills, including fistfights, weapon fights, and diverse fighting routines. Chinese martial arts have a long history and are quite popular in China.

Conclusion 

It’s no secret that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games will increase interest in winter sports and present a wonderful opportunity for casual fans to become long-term players and consumers. During the New Year’s holiday, tourists flocked to winter sports facilities around the country, both north and south.