Standing in front of me was a professional woman in a suit, who was wearing a pair of frameless glasses. Her long, straight hair cascaded like a waterfall, and she had a slight smile on her face. I didn't recognize her at first, but soon realized she was Deng Yaping, the table tennis champion of four Olympic Games.
As I started my interview with Deng, I saw a busy-scheduled calendar on her desk. "Sometimes I feel busier than when I was an athlete," Deng said.
During the 1st Session of the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in March 2003, Deng, a deputy to the 9th National People's Congress and the 8th and 10th CPPCC, made a series of proposals for the development of sports in China.
"I was a member of the CPPCC when I was an athlete," Deng remarked. "Now I have a better understanding of what's going on in the world. My learning experience abroad has enriched my life, and I'd like to offer some suggestions on how to better solve the problems involving the employment of retired athletes and the pay and conditions of athletes and coaches. I believe this is a big problem that will affect future sport competitors in China."
"So how are you doing at the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOOC)?" I asked.
"Oh, very well," Deng said with a confident smile on her face. She's been enthusiastic about Beijing's preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games since 2001, when the city won the bid. In early March 2003, her dream of working for the BOOC finally came true. She now works for the committee's Marketing and Development Department, dealing with potential sponsors of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, which include famous Chinese and foreign companies.
"It's a challenge for me," said Deng. As an athlete, she only had to think about how to beat her opponent; but now as a PR person, she needs to know how to communicate. "I'm not afraid, though," she continued, "because this job makes full use of my assets and experience." Credibility and personality are very important in marketing, and as a celebrity, she can win the support of more world-famous companies. Having studied abroad, Deng is also familiar with Western culture and has little problem communicating with companies from English-speaking countries.
Today, Deng still holds two posts at the International Olympic Committee (IOC): member of the Athletes' Commission and member of the Sport and Environment Commission. Over the last seven years, since she began working for the IOC, Deng has had frequent contact with the IOC Marketing Commission, which may prove favorable for her work. This might have been the key reason why the BOOC chose Deng for the job.
Apart from routine work, Deng has an important task-her studies. In December 2002, she was awarded a MA from the University of Nottingham, UK. She then entered the University of Cambridge as a candidate for a doctor's degree.
Before leaving Britain, Deng collected quite a number of materials for her degree. Today, she often talks to her tutor on the phone and sends e-mails. "My thesis title is The Impact of Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games on China's Economy," she told me. "I can put what I've learned into practice right now."
I was deeply impressed by Deng, who is more than equal to the task of managing her time to encompass her job, study, and many social activities.
"In fact, there is no real secret to my success," she explains. "I owe it to my belief in thoroughness, which made me a world champion."
Her simple explanation instantly reminded me of what Juan Antonio Samaranch, former president of the IOC, once said to Deng: "The world is ready to embrace you because you have the key."
(China Pictorial July 15, 2003)
