CHINESE SWIMMER NING ZETAO, who won the men's 100-meter freestyle at the just-concluded FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, is the first Asian champion in this event. He has been described as a new "national idol" in many media outlets. Comments:

The Internet generates heated debates and creates idols for youngsters every day. It has accurately spotted the public's praise for Ning Zetao after he won the gold medal at the world championships, which has put his name in headlines and made him the country's latest idol. It is worth bearing in mind that sports idols are also needed on a commercial level, since business campaigns are more effective if they include the participation of these idols. Ning meets this requirement, as China has lacked a sports idol since the retirement of NBA star Yao Ming, 110-meter hurdler Liu Xiang and tennis player Li Na.

Daily Sunshine, Aug 11