【2010.04.22 纽约时报】China Mourns Loss Of 'Dream - Maker' Samaranch

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China Mourns Loss Of 'Dream - Maker' Samaranch
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/04/22/world/international-uk-olympics-samaranch-china.html

By REUTERSPublished: April 22, 2010

BEIJING (Reuters) - China mourned the death of Juan Antonio Samaranch Thursday, remembering a "good friend" who eased its return to the Olympic movement and was instrumental in fulfilling the "100-year dream" of hosting the Games.

Samaranch, who died Wednesday aged 89, ran the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1980, when China returned to the Olympic fold after more than two decades, until 2001, when Beijing was awarded the 2008 Games.

China topped the medals table at those Games, firmly establishing its position as a major world sporting power.

China's President Hu Jintao sent a message of condolence to the IOC and Samaranch's family Thursday, the foreign ministry said -- an honour usually reserved for heads of state.

"Mr Samaranch was the old friend and good friend of the Chinese people," Hu's message said.

"He made great contributions to China's return to IOC, the expansion of exchanges and cooperation between IOC and China, and the China-Spain friendship, which we will never forget."

Although the absence of colour from Chinese newspapers and news websites Thursday was to mark the official day of mourning for the recent deadly earthquake in Qinghai, Samaranch's death received widespread coverage.

'100-YEAR DREAM'

"I am shocked by the news. I am very sad. As a sportsperson, he led the Olympic Movement to a new peak, a new era," Deng Yaping, the multiple Olympic table tennis gold medallist, told state television.

"We lost a great leader. But I think his spirit will lead us continuously to develop the Olympic Movement. He helped we Chinese fulfil our 100-year dream," added the 37-year-old, who enjoyed a warm friendship with Samaranch despite their age difference.

Samaranch, an IOC member from 1966, took a keen interest in China and personally awarded the country's first Olympic champion, shooter Xu Haifeng, with his gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Spaniard also lobbied strongly for the Chinese capital to host the Olympics in 2000 and, when it was beaten by Sydney, again for 2008. One of his last acts as president was to announce the success of the second bid, sparking huge jubilation in China.

"Mr Samaranch supported China regaining its seat in the IOC, and advocated China play a bigger role in international sports affairs," He Zhenliang, an IOC member known as "Mr Olympics" for his long service to the movement, told the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily.

"The International Olympic movement has lost a great leader. Chinese people have lost a good friend. I personally have lost a close colleague and brother."

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, Liu Zhen and Huang Yan; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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