(ECNS) -- Many Chinese athletes at the Rio Olympics this year are not only applauded for their brilliance in the games, but also for their achievements in the academic world. Their excellent performance both in sports and academics is challenging stereotypes. [Special coverage]
Xu Lijia: sailor and student at top university in England
Hit by a shoulder injury and three disqualification penalties in previous rounds, Chinese sailing star Xu Lijia finished the Laser Radial competition in Rio this year, but missed out on the chance to defend the title she won at the 2012 London Games.
But the London champ vows to sail on. "I won't end up complaining that the officiating was unfair, although I felt pretty sad about that," Xu told the media after the match.
In fact, Xu is not only China's top sailor, but has also studied at famous universities. After finishing her undergraduate studies in human resource management at Shanghai's Jiao Tong University, Xu applied for a postgraduate program in international management at the University of Southampton in England. After graduation, she will continue her studies in England.
"Sailing is important to my life, but it is not all," she said. "Besides the competition, I have a lot of things to do."
Read more: Olympic champion Xu bounce back to top
Shao Ting: the best basketball player and PhD candidate
As a top female basketball player, 27-year-old Shao Ting has won many titles on the basketball courts. But off the court she is also brilliant, as a PhD candidate at Beijing Normal University.
The combination has earned her the title among Chinese netizens as "the best basketball player with the top education background".
Read more: China grab first win in women's basketball at Rio Olympics
Lei Sheng: swordsman from Peking University
Lei Sheng, who won the foil individual title at the London Olympics in 2012, was the Chinese delegation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The 32-year-old swordsman just finished the MBA curriculum at Guanghua School of Management at Peking University a month before carrying the flag in Rio. Even while preparing for the Games, Lei did not stop his lessons.
Read more: Fencing Olympic champion Lei Sheng leads China into Rio Olympics opening ceremony
Hua Tian: graduate from respected UK school
Rio-bound Chinese equestrian Alex Hua Tian, the only Chinese rider to qualify for the Olympics, won 8th place in the Games and made a breakthrough in the event for the country.
Hua was born in London to a Chinese father and a British mother and started riding at age 4. Hua not only won the silver medal in the individual event at his debut at the Asian Games in South Korea in 2014, he was also a graduate student at the University of Bristol, one of the most popular and successful universities in the UK, and ranked among the top 40 universities in the world.
Hua gave up his British nationality 10 years ago to compete for China.
Watch video: Hua Tian: Bond is paramount to everything done in equestrian
