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China hails Olympics hero in new film While broadcasters gear up for a frenzy of activity throughout the Olympics, the Chinese film community is making its own cinematic contribution with the inspirational story of a hero from yesteryear. "The One" recounts the incredible story of Chinese sprinter Liu Changchun, the country's sole representative at the 1932 games in Los Angeles. Liu was a celebrated sprinter from Dalian, in northeastern Liaoning Province. In 1931, the Japanese army had begun occupying the area, which it was turning into a puppet state called Manchukuo. The invaders concocted a plan to send Liu to the 10th Olympic Games to represent their counterfeit entity. But they reckoned without the athlete's will. "He published a statement in the Ta Kung Pao newspaper, refusing to represent the so-called state at the Olympics," the athlete's son, Liu Hongliang, said in a recent interview. "Upon reading about my father's statement, the patriotic Gen. Zhang Xueliang declared he would financially sponsor my father in the Olympics to represent China. Gen. Zhang was a tremendous influence on my father. He opposed the Japanese invaders all his life despite the harsh living conditions." With Zhang's money, Liu set sail from Shanghai to Los Angeles. "After about a month on the boat, my father had gained a few kilos. He was not at his best," his son recalls. Three days after Liu arrived in Los Angeles, he competed in the Olympics but was eliminated in the preliminary heats in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints, clocking 11.1 and 22.1 seconds, respectively. "After the Games were over, the money donated by Gen. Zhang, about $1,000, had already run out. Liu had to solicit donations from the local Chinese community in Los Angeles to be able to buy a ticket back home," he said. "After we came back to Nanjing, my father did not have a job, and our family were in complete destitution," Liu continued, wiping away tears. "We suffered a lot when I was a kid." Liu Changchun died in 1983. When Liu reflects on his father's legacy, it's his optimism that he remembers most. "When food was a problem, the Olympic Games were the last concerns on people's minds. But I think it's his high spirits that navigated his life. And I learned that from him. I guess that's what the Olympic spirit is about," he said. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter |