Luo and behold! a winning winner

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 23, 2003

Luo and behold! a winning winner

CHANGSHA, Hunan Province: Luo Xuejuan, three-time world gold medallist in swimming, is one of the most popular and well-known stars at the Fifth China National City Games here, which was well attested to by the number of sports writers and photographers thronging around her after she clinched her first gold of the games in the 100m breaststroke.

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CHANGSHA, Hunan Province: Luo Xuejuan, three-time world gold medalist in swimming, is one of the most popular and well-known stars at the Fifth China National City Games here, which was well attested to by the number of sports writers and photographers thronging around her after she clinched her first gold of the games in the 100m breaststroke.

Luo, from Hangzhou, led throughout the race without any real challenge from the other finalists. She finished in a time of one minute 7.42 seconds, 1.05 seconds shy of the world record set by South Africa's Penelope Heyns in 1999.

But Luo's sunshine smiles on the podium suggested she was satisfied with the result.

"Over the last four months, I have swum in three big events, including the world championships. This is my first gold at a city games. I cannot complain too much about my performance," Luo said.

The 19-year-old girl's straightforward comment is reminiscent of her blunt words in 2001 after the Ninth National Games, when she said she stood clean even though the swimming pool was dirty (a reference to possible doping by other swimmers), sparking a fierce discussion about doping and sports ethics.

"In sports, results speak the loudest. I am always training hard and also turn in good performances, so I have nothing to fear."

She is now eyeing next year's Athens Olympics. But that will not be the end of her career.

"I hope I will win a gold in 2004 and then training for the 2008 Beijing Olympics will start," she said.

Luo always appears confident even when competing against her fellow national team-mate Qi Hui, the 200m breaststroke world recorder holder, who represented Fuzhou.

But 18-year-old Qi, who had competed in the 200m individual medley semi-final just before the 100m breaststroke final, did not give Luo much of a threat, coming in second for the silver.

"I think she would have done much better if she hadn't just swum in the 200m individual medley. We fight for the gold in every contest. I have a bit of advantage in the 100m breaststroke but in the 200 she's tough competition when she's at her best."

Despite her great fame, laid-back Luo has refused to sign any advertising contracts with big companies, in contrast with Tian Liang and Fu Mingxia, both world and Olympic diving champions, who appear frequently in TV commercials and other advertisements.

"I am waiting until I have an Olympic gold in my pocket," Luo said.

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