To some extent, the media are partly responsible for the obsession with gold medals, Wu Zhilin said.

"You see so much media coverage of the gold medalists, from what food they like to revisiting the primary school they attended. The other athletes just fade into the background," he said.

Wang Ling, a 24-year-old tennis fan from Beijing said athletes cannot just produce gold medals.

"Our athletes are not medal machines. They are supposed to enjoy the Games and make people want to join in the spirit and take up sport.

"China used to use gold medals to prove we are a strong nation and gain respect from others. We don't need that anymore."

Olympic athletes said they are simply happy with any medal.

"Is it really a matter of the color of the medal?" asked Timo Boll, German table tennis star who has an outside gold medal chance in London.

"I would prefer gold. But I will also be very satisfied if it's silver or bronze."

Leaving the issue of gold behind, people in China generally are giving their full support to all the athletes.

Weightlifter Zhou Jun failed all three attempts at her first weight in the 53kg division on Monday.

"I wasn't in the best condition," she said later in an interview. "But I really appreciate all the support and concern back in China."

Xiao Hongbo, a professor at the department of journalism at Shanghai University of Sport, highlighted participation.

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