A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

A training center in Beijing's western district - one of 11 in the capital - has 600 pupils. The young athletes spend only two weeks a year at home with their parents; extra training sessions are scheduled during other school vacations. Doing stretching exercises, these gymnasts are between five and eight years old. Most children recruited for China's national sports training program come from rural backgrounds. At age four, they have to be able to run 30m in less than ten seconds and jump 80cm in order to qualify for one of the People's Republic's 3,000 'talent schools'.

Oskar Barnack Award,Individual awards