Sochi 2014: The Countdown Series: China

99 days remaining until the opening ceremonies of Sochi 2014. Up next on the countdown: China

China has participated in the winter Olympics since their winter games debut at Lake Placid 1980. Chinese athletes in these winter games have won 44 medals including nine gold medals.

Wang Meng (pictured) is one of three multiple gold medalists for China in the winter games. Wang won four gold medals in the winter games. Her first gold was in the women's 500m short track at Turin 2006, and would later win gold in that event at Vancouver 2010. She also won gold in the women's 1000m short track and was a part of the Chinese 3000m relay team that also won gold, both won at Vancouver 2010 as well.

Zhou Yang (pictured) won two gold medals in the winter games, in both the women's 1500 and as a member of China's 3000m relay team at Vancouver 2010. Zhou, along with Wang and Yang Yang A are the only multiple gold medalists for China in the winter games. Yang won the women's 500m and 1000m shot track events at Salt Lake City 2002.

As of now, 19 quota spots available on behalf of China at Sochi, including a men's curling team, as well as women's speed skating and biathlon.

Up next: Chinese Taipei

London 2012: The Countdown Series: China

175 days to go until the first day at London. Next up on the parade of nations: China (CHN).

The host nation of the 2008 summer Olympics (Beijing), they have participated in the summer games since 1932. 385 medals were won, including 163 gold.

There have been many multiple gold medalists from China. One of the more recent multiple gold medalists is diver Guo Jingjing (pictured). Guo has won four medals-two at Beijing 2008 and two at Athens 2004, both in the springboard and synchronized springboard.

The majority of mutliple individual gold medalists from China have come from events such as gymnastics, table tennis, and the aformentioned diving, especially at Beijing in 2008. Women's volleyball team has won gold twice-at Los Angeles 1984 and again at Athens 2004.

As of now, 273 Chinese athletes will be represented in 18 sports including:

• athletics
• men's basketball (with or without Yao, of course)
• women's basketball
• boxing
• hockey (field, that is)
• taekwondo
• swimming
• women's volleyball (indoor)
• women's water polo
• weightlifting
• wrestling

Next up: Chinese Taipei

Basket Brawl!

Georgetown men's team in exhibition play in China, and it gets ugly...wait until the fallout comes out of this...

Shanghai 2011: A Review.

It has been over a week since the closing of the worlds, but the two weeks have been interesting. No US medals in the first week that is made up of diving and synchronised swimming. However that changed in the final week. More in a moment.

But first, the water polo. Congrats to this year's champions. Italy defeated multi-time world champs Serbia in the gold medal match. Croatia won third place. Greece defeated China in front of their home crowd to win gold on the women's side. We'll see how they'll do in London in a year.

Now back to the final week of action. The swimming. First USA medal was an open water 10k gold. And then it was on from there. USA swimming piled them up, resulting in the USA's move to 2nd in the medals race behind China (the host country).

And it also shocks me that only a couple world records fell in the swimming-in the hands of Ryan Lochte and Sun Yang, who broke the old record in the 1500m set by Grant Hackett.

What we learned from this? A whole lot. Remember swimming is usually in the second week of the Summer Olympics (if you include the midweek soccer kickoff, which is three weeks altogether), and who knows what's gonna happen in that week of swimming next year at this time in London.

Yao Retires!?

It was announced today. The question remains, if the China national team plays in London next July, will he be able to suit up for the games? All that and more are right here.

Oh, and for the record, I'll probably miss this...