Yang Lan, a well-known TV host in China, was one of the image ambassadors of Beijing in its 2008 bid in January 2001. She has been involved in Olympic-related activities ever since. In an interview with China Daily reporter Xiao Ma, Yang shares her moments, both happy and sad, in helping the country achieve its Olympic dream.

When did you first join China's bid for the Olympic Games?

I joined China Central Television (CCTV) in 1990 and began to host the weekly show "Chia Tai Variety Show." As an anchorwoman for CCTV, I went to Monte Carlo in the Principality of Monaco in September 1993 to host the coverage of Beijing's first bid for the Olympic Games.

On the night of announcing the bidding result, I did the latter part of the live coverage on CCTV. All I did that night was to translate one sentence as Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) between 1980 and 2001, announced the final result. I was so nervous then, and had not expected that my translation would turn out to be the most disappointing sentence for me in all my life Beijing failed and Sydney won that time. I cried.

What did you do after that?

My trip to Monte Carlo left a strong impression on me. I found at that time I was just like a "frog in a well" a person with a very limited outlook: I had not really understood the outside world while the outside whole had so many misunderstandings of China. The trip strengthened my idea of going abroad for further study.

So I quit the show on CCTV, and went to the United States where I earned a master's degree at Columbia University after two years of study.

How did you return to work for China's bid for the Olympic Games?

I had not expected that I could come back to the road for the Olympics. After some work in the US, I went to Hong Kong to work for Phoenix TV Station.

In 2001, when I was staying in Shanghai with my daughter who was only three months old then, I got a phone call asking whether I could act as a presenter for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee to do presentations to IOC delegations. I accepted it without any hesitation. I was also appointed one of the image ambassadors of Beijing in its 2008 bid in January 2001.

As a presenter and an image ambassador, I had to undergo various types of practice as preparation. So I had to wean my baby daughter. As a mother, I still felt sorry for my daughter, who was only about 100 days old then.

After our final presentation in Moscow on July 13, 2001 to the IOC, Beijing won the bidding for 2008 Olympics.

Why did Beijing win this time?

I must say the Chinese capital was much more mature in 2001 in its ideology and concept in bidding for the Olympics as compared with 1993. There was a qualitative leap eight years later in Beijing's hardware and software construction. Also, as a city carrying a history of more than 3,000 years, Beijing can be listed as a first-class metropolis in the world and had relative competitiveness in bidding for the 2008 Games. All in all, I should like to say the winning is a reflection of the overall national strength of our country.

Do you want to do something more for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

I want to be a volunteer for the Games. But it's up to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad to decide. If I were accepted as a volunteer, I would like to do my best to contribute to disseminating Chinese history and culture.

This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Beijing is my birth place, and I have a special feeling towards the city. My children are now studying in Beijing. I have promised them that in August 2008, I will bring them to the Games.

What will the Olympic Games mean to Beijing residents?

Beijing's hosting of the Olympics is a special chance to let the outside world come to see more of China and more of the Chinese capital. Also, it will be conducive in mixing the oriental culture into the Olympic spirit and help greatly promote the development of the Olympic Movement.

The Games will arouse the enthusiasm of Beijingers in their study of English. I hope when the Games comes, the athletes and visitors from all over the world will not feel too strange, as more Beijing residents could be able to communicate with them.

Moreover, the event will help propel the fast development of Beijing's economy, lure investment from overseas, provide more employment for local dwellers and protect the local environment.

It is reported that you are advocating a healthy way of life amid Beijing's road to the Olympics. Can you elaborate?

The Olympic Games is not only a grand gala for athletes, but also a good opportunity to publicize the Olympic spirit and popularize sports among the people. At present, the Chinese living standard is on the rise and many people are living relatively wealthily, but their healthy way of life is still in the making.

I sincerely hope the 2008 Games will help translate the great enthusiasm of the Chinese in participating in the Olympics into actual sporting enthusiasm, which can be conducive in ushering in a healthy way of life and attaining a healthy and balanced development for people's bodies and minds. I think this is more important than our athletes' winning of medals.

(China Daily 08/11/2006 page5)