The Xiannongtan Sports School in Beijing is regarded as the cradle of China’s Olympic champions. The training facility caters to about 300 athletes in six key sports : table tennis, gymnastics, track & field, women’s soccer, tennis, and weight lifting. Three students have already won gold medals in the Beijing Olympics including He Kexin and Zhang Yining. One of its most famous graduates is Zhuang Zedong, legendary table tennis player who led the so-called ‘Ping Pong Diplomacy’ between China and the US in the 1970s.

China’s Olympic factory – Xiannongtan Sports School