By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, July 20: The Chinese contingent for the 2016 Olympics to be held in the Brazil next month from August 5 – 21 is set to feature two Tibetan athletes in two different events.
The two Tibetan athletes – Choeyang Kyi, Olympic silver medalist in the 20km walking race event and Topgye, a rookie Olympian and a middle-distance runner – will don red jerseys as they represent China in the Brazilian capital Rio de Janeiro in the premier sports event.
Choeyang Kyi who initially bagged the bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics was later given the silver medal after the Russian Olga Kaniskina was disqualified following a failed drug test. She was born in Tsochang in the eastern Tibetan region of Amdo.
Track athlete Tobgye, native of Dagze County in Tibet’s capital city of Lhasa will be the second Tibetan in the Chinese contingent. Chinese state run website China Tibet News which described Tobgye as “the famous race athlete” mentioned, “Tobgye’s participation in Olympic Games not only shows that Tibet’s competitive sports level has been improved, but also demonstrates to the world that Tibet has gained great achievements in social and economic development.”
However, former Minister for Information and International Relations of the CTA earlier in 2012 retorted that such claims by China is not in par with the realities in Tibet. She told sports.inquirer.net, “China uses things like this for their political gain. The fact that a Tibetan is participating in the Olympics does not take away anything from the dire situation prevailing inside Tibet.”
“As an individual, we wish her well. She must have put in a lot of effort to reach there. But we are sad that she cannot represent a free Tibet,” she further added.
According to China Tibet News, another Tibetan named Dorjee Choeying is the first Tibetan to take part in the Olympics. Dorjee represented China in the Seoul 1988 Olympics in Archery.
