China did top one table in Rio – that of fourth-place finishes, according to data from Gracenote Sports.
They had 25, with the US next on 20 and Britain third on 16.
Gracenote head of analysis Simon Gleave said China’s decline in medals from London 2012 “has been primarily due to the sports of badminton, artistic gymnastics and swimming”.
China Daily said: “In contrast with China’s previous obsession with gold medals, the general public is learning to enjoy the sports themselves rather than focusing on the medal count. Winning gold medals does not mean everything anymore in China.”
Swimmer Fu Yuanhui’s enthusiasm at winning a bronze medal “took Chinese viewers by surprise”, said Global Times. “They are used to their athletes focusing in interviews on their desire to win glory for the country.”
Many users of the Chinese social media site Weibo posted messages using the hashtag #ThisTimeTheChinaTeamAreGolden, saying their athletes were still “the best” irrespective of their placing in their events.
