International Olympic Committee Executive Board member Li Lingwei has congratulated the International Canoe Federation after the successful hosting of the Paddle Summit in Hangzhou, China.
Lingwei, who is also the Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, was among the many dignitaries who attended the landmark event in the 2022 Asian Games host city.
A gathering of more than 100 delegates representing all 10 ICF disciplines, the Paddle Summit was a first-of-its-kind event hosted by the International Federation to discuss future strategies and ideas.
A badminton player who has won multiple world and continental titles, Lingwei also praised ICF for opening the first-ever Excellence Centre in Hangzhou, a key initiative of the organisation's Fit For Future Evolution strategy.
“It was my honour to attend the Paddle Summit. It was great to see the entire paddling community attend the event. Usually, most of these meetings happen virtually or on the phone,” she said.
“This was a great moment for the ICF and I hope you made the opportunity fruitful. It was also a great opportunity to promote the sport not only in Hangzhou but in China.
“I believe we are going to have some great athletes soon and see the popularity of paddle sports grow in China, especially with the establishment of the Hangzhou Excellence Centre. With the right promotion among youngsters, targeting grassroots, we can be a force in the sport.”
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games saw China win two gold medals thanks to the sensational pairings of Liu Hao and Bowen Ji and Xu Shixiao and Mengya Sun in the men's and women's canoe double 500m races, respectively.
However, a Canoe Slalom medal at the Games still eludes the nation. In France, the best result came courtesy of Xin Quan, who reached the final of the men's kayak single, finishing eleventh.
With the Chinese Canoe Association already committing to focus on the discipline, Lingwei believes that it is only a matter of time before China makes its mark in Canoe Slalom.
“In competitive sports, a gold medal is the final target or dream, but we know there's only one champion at the Olympics. It's quite difficult, but I think all our athletes tried hard," Lingwei added.
“The nature of canoeing is demanding and challenging. But in the coming years, I fully believe China will be a powerhouse in Canoe Slalom as well.”
Lingwei also mentioned that her conversations with ICF President Thomas Konietzko about plans to bring a canoeing culture in China to youngsters impressed her the most.
With the Super Cup set to be hosted in her hometown of Hangzhou, there are plenty of opportunities and ICF's partnership with elite schools, including Zhejiang University, will prove to be crucial in executing these plans.
“Mr Thomas Konietzko and I spoke about encouraging school and university students to take up the sport in China. It is a step-by-step process, but we can get some great athletes at the elite level,” she said.
“Not only the Chinese Olympic Committee but also the local Governments are doing everything they can to make use of the resources and water bodies in China.
“The best part about canoeing is it happens in nature, and it is also an opportunity to showcase the city and the beauty of the country. It will take time but will happen.”
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