BEIJING, July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The second episode of the fourth season of “Youth Power,” titled “The Fresh Olympic Spirit of Global Gen Z,” aired on July 30. Gen Zers from China, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, and the United States came together in a sports arena to forge international friendships through sports. This event showcased the openness and inclusivity of sports, along with the innovations, organizational excellence, and technological advancements that are integral to modern sporting events.
The ongoing Paris Olympics have introduced breakdancing as a new event, while skateboarding, surfing, and competitive climbing continue from their debut in the Tokyo Olympics. Stefanie Perner, a Gen Zer from Germany, expressed great excitement for the skateboarding events. “People used to see skateboarding as rebellious or not even a real sport, just something kids do on the streets,” she said. “But to me, it’s a culture, a community, a way to connect with your city through your board.”
Emerging technologies like cloud broadcasting and AI-assisted training are enhancing the Games. Elijah Van Knowles from the United States, who has been practicing wushu at Shanghai University of Sport, said, “Here at Shanghai University of Sports, we’ve been deeply developing AI to judge athletes, as a way to supplement human judges.”
The Gen Z participants agreed that technology in sports should be used subtly to preserve the spontaneity and enjoyment that are so essential. Thomas Mattei, a French student at Fudan University in Shanghai, said, “Sport is also about spontaneity, and advancements are a good part of the Olympics. If you stop an event just because the machine says so, technology is undermining the sport.”
Indeed, the appeal of sports lies in their unpredictability. Anais Fernandez-Laaksonen, a student at Tsinghua University in Beijing from a Finnish family of athletes, said: “People have a love-hate relationship with sports. There are painful parts, all the failures and injuries. You need perseverance and bravery to commit to every decision you make.”
For the Gen Zers in the program, the sporting spirit emphasizes inclusivity, fair play, solidarity, and kindness, encouraging young people to seize life’s opportunities. Susan St Denis, an American studying at Tsinghua University, shared that while teaching swimming, children were eager to emulate US Olympian Michael Phelps, known as the Flying Fish. She later joined a rowing team and was inspired by women’s rowing at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
The episode’s host, Wang Licheng, a student at Peking University, noted, “In the Paris Olympics, for the first time, we have the same number of women and men athletes.” St Denis added, “It wasn’t until 1976 that women could compete in rowing at the Olympics. Even now, women athletes don’t get the attention they deserve. We don’t get the same coverage as male athletes.”
Elijah Van Knowles said wushu is beautiful as an art, “not just for fighting, but also for preserving peace.” He hopes wushu, with its rich history and cultural significance, can be included in the Olympics.
Jim Mathiopoulos from Greece, studying at Shanghai University of Sport, has practiced wushu at his father’s kungfu school since childhood. He dreams of promoting wushu to a wider audience in the birthplace of the Olympics.
“Competing isn’t just about winning first place; it’s about the passion and showing what you’ve learned.”
Mathiopoulos is studying Chinese philosophy and history and aims to promote wushu through online seminars and master classes.
“Youth Power,” organized by China Daily and first broadcast in June 2021, aims to create a global platform for communication and exchange, focusing on the interests and ideas of Generation Z. The program features interviews, forums, and speeches on various current topics.
