Guangzhou, China, July 9, 2026: If the OCA is looking to find future Olympic champions, they have come to the right place at the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports.
The 2026 OCA-UWW Asian Wrestling Youth Camp and Course for Coaches is being held at the famous sports college from July 8-15 – and that is a good omen for the participants.
Li Guoping, Party Secretary and President of the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports, said the establishment was known as the “Cradle of Champions” due to its prolific output of superstars in a wide variety of sports.
Addressing the participants at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, July 8, Li said: “Founded in 1973, the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports boasts a well-deserved reputation as the ‘Cradle of Champions’,” he said.
“It is designated both a National Comprehensive Sports Training Base and a National Sports Culture Research Base, and currently runs 15 municipal sports teams of Guangzhou.
“Over decades of development, the college has cultivated athletes who have joined national teams, including 10 Olympic champions such as Fan Zhendong (table tennis) and Liu Shiwen (table tennis), alongside 41 world champions.
“Our athletes have claimed a total of 14 Olympic gold medals and 199 world championship titles.
“Most notably, Feng Ziqi, an elite wrestler trained at our college, claimed a wrestling bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.”
Thirty National Olympic Committees have sent 62 athletes – 44 male, 18 female – and 30 coaches – 25 male, five female – to the camp. They have been joined by 40 wrestlers from the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports.
Li added: “Nearly 100 young wrestlers, coaches and technical experts from diverse Asian countries and regions have assembled at the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports to take part in this training programme.
“This training camp focuses on the comprehensive development of both junior athletes and young coaches. It plays a vital role in elevating the level of wrestling in Asia and promoting the sport more broadly. It will also greatly contribute to the development of wrestling here in Guangzhou.”
The polytechnic boasts a 14-year integrated sports education system and trains more than 1,600 young athletes covering elementary, junior high and senior high school, alongside 2,600 full-time college students on campus.
“We have nurtured a large pool of competitive sports talents and skilled sports industry professionals, making remarkable contributions to the athlete development of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province and the whole country,” Li added.
The 10 Olympic champions from the Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports are: Yang Wei (gymnastics), Zhang Jiewen (badminton), Yang Jinghui (diving), Yang Yilin (gymnastics), Lei Sheng (fencing), Zhang Yanquan (diving), Chen Aisen (diving), Liu Shiwen (table tennis), Fan Zhendong (table tennis) and Quan Hongchan (diving).
