Tian Liang enjoyed a glittering career as a diver, and in his retirement he hopes he will have the same golden touch in the business world.

 

 

According to media reports Tian has completed work on his diving academy in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, and will begin recruiting and training students.

 

"I will put new ideas into the management of the academy. I hope every child will make rapid progress there," Tian told China Interactive Sports last week, after confirming that his retirement from the sport was set in stone.

 

"I have completed all the procedures. As an athlete, the time comes for you to call it quit, no matter how many Olympic Games you have taken part in," Tian was quoted as saying.

 

"So far, diving has been my whole life."

 

Tian was dropped from the national team after the 2004 Athens Games for refusing to apologize for "taking part in too many commercial activities," but he hopes his successes can inspire the young divers.

 

Now 27, Tian was known as the "diving prince" after winning two Olympic gold medals, three World Championship titles and 15 World Cup events.

 

 

"Every child is welcome in the school. I don't care how well they dive before being admitted, and I promise every child will at least learn some basic swimming and diving techniques.

 

"And also they will get a certificate after graduation."

 

Tian also promised that diving would not come at the expense of other parts of the child's development.

 

"I know how important literacy is to young kids. I will offer educational classes to all of them."

 

Tian himself is planning on going back to school, as he will become a graduate student at Tsinghua University in September.

 

"I achieved a lot in diving. But I still lack knowledge in other fields. I hope to learn something new as soon as possible after retirement."

 

 

Tian is also looking forward to campus life.

 

"There were only teammates in the past. After choosing to study in university, I will have classmates. It will be a totally new life for me."

 

China won nine of 10 diving gold medals at the world championships in Melbourne last month. The sole disappointment was the men's 10-meter platform, Tian's specialist event.

 

To the head coach's delight, another 10m platform Olympic champion Hu Jia, who beat Tian in Athens, is ready to return after eye problems.

 

"I should say thanks to everybody who was concerned about me. My eyes are fine now," said Hu, who had to pull out of the world championships after surgery late last year

 

"I missed the worlds but I'll keep training and preparing for the next competition."

 

Hu revealed he would take part in the national diving championships from April 20 to 25.

 

 

(China Daily April 11, 2007)