Chi Jian, deputy secretary of the CPC committee of Beijing Sport University, said sport education cannot work without academic subjects and urged a tailor-made route for athletes' education to benefit their post-sport career and life.

According to Lin Qiong, secretary of the CPC committee of the School of Sport Economics and Management of the Central University of Finance and Economics, the school has been recruiting retired athletes since 2005 and has nurtured over 100 who are capable of embarking on a new career.

Sun Wei, a national saber champion who is still in the game, suggested athletes develop their hobbies and talents now instead of waiting until after retirement.

Fan Ye, China's world balance beam champion who is now running a gymnastics training school in her hometown, said to work means teamwork. "Everything starts from zero, however big you were as an athlete individually," she said.

Wang Liping, China's Olympic walking champion and now a co-founder of a sports fund, said to work hard may not profit, "but it earns me support and trust as people think I am still someone who is a champion."