At the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, the Chinese delegation once again fought for their first gold medal in winter sports. However in the women's 1,500m, an event Yang Yang had not lost in five years, she only finished fourth and missed the podium.

The legendary volleyball coach Yuan Weimin, who was the head of the Chinese delegation then, had a deep conversation with the frustrated Yang after the loss, which remained fresh in her mind.

"They didn't blame me at all. I was out of control and cried a lot. I cut my hair and changed my lucky vest to tell myself I have nothing that can't lose," Yang said.

Yang eventually won the women's 500m event one day after the conversation. Her victory at the 2002 Winter Olympics made her China's first-ever Winter Olympics gold medalist.

Four months after Yang's triumph in the United states, the 22-year-old Yao Ming was selected as the first overall pick by the Huston Rockets. After nine seasons in the NBA, he became not only an icon of the Chinese youth, but also the ambassador of Sino-U.S. cultural exchanges.

"I want to thank this great and progressive era, which gives me the opportunity to realize my own values and dreams," Yao said in his retirement announcement in 2011.

In addition to Yao, Liu Xiang became the first Chinese man to win an Olympic track and field gold when he stormed to the 110 hurdles victory in Athens 2004.

Chinese sports started to have its own world superstars, with "the first Asian Grand Slam singles champion" Li Na and "the king of freestyle swimming" Sun Yang also on the list.

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