Wu Chuanyu
Encyclopedia
Wu Chuanyu (August 21, 1928 - October 29, 1954) was a Chinese
swimmer
who competed in the Olympic Games
in 1948 and 1952. In his second Games, he became the first competitor for the People's Republic of China
in Olympic history.
He was born in Salatiga
, Central Java
, Dutch East Indies
(now Indonesia
) on August 21, 1928, the son of immigrants from Fujian
, a coastal province of southeastern China
. He swam from an early age, playing as a child on the riverside of Surakarta
. In 1941, at the age of 13, he performed beyond all expectations at an important swimming competition in Indonesia, setting a new Indonesian record for the 200 metre butterfly and beating the Dutch champion.
Wu was one of the 26 competitors—and the lone swimmer—representing the Republic of China
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
. Wu swam in the heats of the men's 100 metre freestyle
, finishing fifth in his heat with the 32nd fastest time overall (1:03.5).
In the fall of 1951, at the age of 23, Wu represented Indonesia at the 3rd World Festival of Youth and Students
in East Berlin
, winning a silver medal in the 100 metre backstroke, with a time of 1:12.8.
At the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki
, Wu was part of the 40-member delegation from the People's Republic of China. The government decided to send the Olympic team only one day prior to the opening ceremonies, and the basketball
and football teams arrived too late to compete, making Wu the only competitor for China at those Games.
Wu swam in the heats of the men's 100 metre backstroke
on July 30, and finished fifth in his heat with the 28th fastest time overall (1:12.3).
In August 1953, Wu competed at the 4th World Festival of Youth and Students
in Bucharest
, Romania
. He won the 100 metre backstroke with a time of 1:06.4. His victory was so unexpected that the swimming organizers did not have a recording of the Chinese national anthem
and had to borrow one from the athletics organizers. This medal ceremony was the first time that the flag of the People's Republic of China
was raised at an international sporting event.
In 1954, Wu and the entire Chinese swimming team was sent to Budapest
, Hungary
to receive training. While in Budapest, Wu attended the 12th World Student Games.
He returned home to China, where he attended the first National People's Congress
. After the conclusion of the Congress, Wu died in an airplane crash on October 29, 1954, at the age of 26 while traveling to Budapest to resume his training. For years after his death, his skills were extolled by China's leader, Mao Zedong
.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
who competed in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1948 and 1952. In his second Games, he became the first competitor for the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in Olympic history.
He was born in Salatiga
Salatiga
Salatiga is a city in Central Java, Indonesia, located between the cities of Semarang and Surakarta. It sits at the foot of Mount Merbabu and Mount Telomoyo, and has a relatively cool climate due to its elevated position.-Origin of name:...
, Central Java
Central Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
, Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(now Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
) on August 21, 1928, the son of immigrants from Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, a coastal province of southeastern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He swam from an early age, playing as a child on the riverside of Surakarta
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
. In 1941, at the age of 13, he performed beyond all expectations at an important swimming competition in Indonesia, setting a new Indonesian record for the 200 metre butterfly and beating the Dutch champion.
Wu was one of the 26 competitors—and the lone swimmer—representing the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Wu swam in the heats of the men's 100 metre freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
, finishing fifth in his heat with the 32nd fastest time overall (1:03.5).
In the fall of 1951, at the age of 23, Wu represented Indonesia at the 3rd World Festival of Youth and Students
3rd World Festival of Youth and Students
The Third World Festival of Youth and Students was held in 1951, in East Berlin, East Germany.The third WFYS was held in a period of growing international tension between the Soviet Union and the western powers; it took place against the background of the Korean War and the spread of communism in...
in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, winning a silver medal in the 100 metre backstroke, with a time of 1:12.8.
At the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Wu was part of the 40-member delegation from the People's Republic of China. The government decided to send the Olympic team only one day prior to the opening ceremonies, and the basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football teams arrived too late to compete, making Wu the only competitor for China at those Games.
Wu swam in the heats of the men's 100 metre backstroke
Backstroke
The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
on July 30, and finished fifth in his heat with the 28th fastest time overall (1:12.3).
In August 1953, Wu competed at the 4th World Festival of Youth and Students
4th World Festival of Youth and Students
The Fourth World Festival of Youth and Students was held in 1953, in Bucharest, the capital of Romania.The World Federation of Democratic Youth organized this festival against a background of what it described as persecution of communists, such as in West Germany, where Philipp Müller, a delegate...
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. He won the 100 metre backstroke with a time of 1:06.4. His victory was so unexpected that the swimming organizers did not have a recording of the Chinese national anthem
March of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...
and had to borrow one from the athletics organizers. This medal ceremony was the first time that the flag of the People's Republic of China
Flag of the People's Republic of China
The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly...
was raised at an international sporting event.
In 1954, Wu and the entire Chinese swimming team was sent to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to receive training. While in Budapest, Wu attended the 12th World Student Games.
He returned home to China, where he attended the first National People's Congress
1st National People's Congress
The 1st National People's Congress was in session from 1954 to 1959. It held four plenary sessions in this period. There were 1226 deputies to the Congress....
. After the conclusion of the Congress, Wu died in an airplane crash on October 29, 1954, at the age of 26 while traveling to Budapest to resume his training. For years after his death, his skills were extolled by China's leader, Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
.