Xu Lijia, former Olympic sailing champion, lectures in Sport Management School Lausanne about China's sport development and her personal career path in Lausanne, Switzerland on May 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Yuan)
Former Olympic sailing champion Xu Lijia said both leisure sports and competitive events have grown more popular than ever in China and expressed admiration for the eagerness of international sport federations to return to China with sporting events.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, May 8 (Xinhua) -- During her inaugural visit to Lausanne on Monday, former Olympic sailing champion Xu Lijia expressed admiration for the eagerness of international sport federations to return to China with sporting events.
Xu, a gold medalist in the women's Laser Radial race at London 2012, shared insights on China's sports market, grassroots competitions, and international event operations following the global COVID-19 pandemic at the Maison du Sport International (MSI), a complex in Lausanne that houses multiple sports federations.
"They are very interested in the current state of sports in China and are curious about whether ordinary people are more active and passionate about participating in sports than before. In recent months, I've seen China's domestic sports events flourish as everyone is eager to participate in sports," said Xu, who retired in 2016 due to injuries.
Xu Lijia, former Olympic sailing champion, joins selfie of students and professors in Sport Management School Lausanne in Switzerland on May 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Yuan)
After retiring, 35-year-old Xu earned a master's degree in media and broadcasting in Southampton and created her own sports program, "Titan Jiayin," which aired on Chinese television networks and social media.
"Both leisure sports and competitive events have grown more popular than ever in China," Xu said, discussing the symposium with sports IFs' officials. "Most of the IF officials have visited China before and are eager to return to host international competitions."
Following the morning session with sports governing organizations, Xu lectured to students at Sport Management School Lausanne. She answered questions from these next-generation sports officials about her growth experience, memorable Olympic moments, China's sports development, her personal experiences as an Olympian, retirement, and transition, among other topics.
In addition to winning gold in London, Shanghai-born Xu secured a bronze medal at Beijing 2008.
Xu is set to visit the International Olympic Committee and donate her personal souvenirs to the Olympic Museum on Wednesday. ■
