北京周报(2007年第48期)

Cover Story It's difficult to envision that as recently as half a century ago, China was a mere hlip on province of the well-heeled and influential, while the majority of the people were too consumed by daily survival needs to pay it much attention. After 1949, however, the general population's lot improved and the government actively began to publicize sport and good health as essential lifestyle attributes. State-sponsored clubs and events opened hitherto-closed doors to the common man, and sporting icons were born. Today, with some 2,000 international championship titles to its credit, and 286 medals from six summer Olympics, China stands on the brink of being a true world sporting superpower. Yet there remains a yawning disparity between its few elite superstars of sport and the vast numbers of aspirants in training, a gap that can only be breached with a reallocation of runds and a nationwide program that brings gameplay and health to the masses.