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SCMP Reporter

Chinese gymnast hailed on his return as coach of US gold-medal winner
After years of struggling in anonymity, former Chinese gymnast Liang Chow  has returned to Beijing in triumph - as the proud mentor of 16-year-old American gymnastics sensation Shawn Johnson.
His charge took gold in the balance beam and three silvers in the team, individual all-around  and floor exercise events.
'I was moved by the enthusiasm shown by the Chinese audience,' said Chow, who was also elected head coach of the American women's gymnastics team. 'They were very supportive to Shawn.'
Indeed, the American gymnast received almost as much cheering from the crowd as her Chinese counterparts. And Beijing native Chow also received staunch support from his family in the hometown he has not seen  for 14 years.
'I caught up with my grandparents and aunty and uncle, and they were all happy for me,' Chow said.
'Turning from an athlete into a trainer is like standing at the starting line again,' he said. 'From having nothing when I immigrated to the United States, to successfully training an Olympic gold medallist, I felt a great sense of achievement.'
Eighteen years ago, when he was still known as Qiao Liang,  the then 23-year-old   former co-captain of a winning Chinese men's gymnastics team chose adventure over the highly regulated but stable coaching life available in China. He left for the US,  where he studied English at the University of Iowa while teaching gymnastics on the side.
'I was still young and I wanted to see the world,' said Chow.
By then he had already won numerous national and international titles, from all-around  to single-beam to floor exercise; all he lacked was an Olympic medal. Living by the motto 'a soldier who does not aspire to become a general is not a good soldier', Chow fulfilled his goal of setting up his own gym in 1988, even though it was next to a  warehouse in West Des Moines,  Iowa, a city of  50,000.
It was in  his small neighbourhood gymnasium - Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute - that he met Shawn Johnson,  a bouncy, toothless  six-year-old who would later consider him her 'second father'.
Chow and his wife Zhuang Liwen, who teaches dance and choreography, have nurtured 232 individual state champions and won the gymnasium 16 state titles.
But the superstar is undoubtedly Johnson, whose debut appearance at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships  last year impressed the world with three golds, including the individual all-around.
A product of a strict state-operated  training machine, Chow has adopted a completely different training schedule for Johnson. She trains with  Chow  for only about four hours a day, allowing  her to attend a public school like a normal child.
The techniques Chow has taught Johnson were, however, drawn from his Chinese experience. He believes this combination of Chinese elements - grace, meticulousness and high technical standards - and her powerful western physique gave Johnson the edge.
'She likes the Chinese elements of gymnastics very much and she is a perfect combination,' said the coach.
Not only were the Chinese elements exemplified in her routines, but also in her friendship with the Chinese gymnastics team. When  China's Cheng Fei fell while performing her floor exercise during the team competition, Johnson was one of the first to give her a hug.
'I'm still very close with the Chinese gymnastics team,' Chow said. 'Without their training, I wouldn't have my knowledge and achievement today. I learned all my skills from them. We are competitors in the arena, but we are friends off the arena.'
Chow is one of a growing number of Chinese coaches leading foreign teams which beat China in its traditional strongholds.
'Steel hammer' Chinese volleyball spiker Lang Ping  led the US team to victory over China in the Olympics group qualifiers - although her success left many mainlanders questioning her new allegiance.
Other  coaches who have excelled offshore include Australia's diving coach Tong Hui,  South Korea's badminton  boss Li Mao  and Singapore's table tennis  coach Liu Guodong.



Ex-champion comes home to glory