Gaining recognition

Alibaba's contributions to the Paris Olympics have been recognized by the International Olympic Committee, or IOC.

During the event, Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, said: "Alibaba plays an essential role when it comes to supporting technology during the Olympic Games, greatly increasing the efficiency and sustainability of Olympic Games operations. Our partnership also extends beyond the Olympic Games, with Alibaba playing a defining role in our Olympic AI Agenda, helping us harness the great potential of AI in a responsible way. All these examples highlight how Alibaba is the perfect partner when it comes to shaping our digital future."

He added that the partnership with Alibaba was a perfect embodiment of the Olympic motto "Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together".

While Alibaba, a major global technology player, was selected to support Olympic operations, smaller Chinese companies also made significant strides on the international stage during the Olympics, including Taishan Sports, which began as a small family-run business in 1978 in Shandong province.

The company has since grown into a global leader in its field and, in 2023, was chosen as the exclusive supplier for judo and wrestling events at the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Speaking in front of the Eiffel Tower, near the Champ-de-Mars Arena that was chosen to house judo, wrestling and wheelchair rugby events at the Olympics and Paralympics, Zhuang Lulu, the company's France representative, said: "After more than 40 years of dedication, we have supported seven Olympic Games, three Youth Olympic Games, seven World University Games and seven Asian Games.

"We have now become a globally renowned brand that sets and leads international sports equipment standards."

For the judo events alone during the Games, the company provided more than 2,100 high-technology, eco-friendly mats embedded with chips. Additionally, Taishan Sports supplied a range of pre-competition training and indoor fitness equipment for the Chinese national team's training base during the Paris Olympics 2024.

"Each stage of the process — from research and design to raw material supply, production, and quality inspection — is strictly controlled to ensure compliance with international certifications, showcasing Chinese manufacturing on the global stage," Zhuang said.

While Taishan Sports is now a global leader in the sports equipment industry, it is remarkable to consider that more than 40 years ago, the company's founder, Bian Zhiliang, started it all from his own home, working on a kang, a traditional heatable brick bed common in northern China.

"At that time, there was no factory. We worked right on a kang bed, sewing these mats by hand. We had no specialized equipment, just our hands, a few large needles and a couple of scissors. We even used a kitchen knife to cut the judo mats and stitched them together," Bian said in an interview at his factory museum in the small town of Laoling, Shandong province.

Bian explained that Taishan Sports was able to provide the judo and wrestling mats for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics due to its innovative products and unparalleled global service.

"It's not just about the mats, we're showcasing our new leading materials to the world. Our products now account for over 60 percent of training and competition needs across more than 200 countries and regions," he said. "This included the Tokyo Olympics, where judo, Japan's national sport, used Taishan mats. Our materials demonstrate unmatched technological innovation and quality, especially in ensuring athletes' safety."

According to Bian, Taishan Sports has been one of the largest equipment suppliers in Olympic history. The company's equipment witnessed athletes winning 122 gold medals out of the total 302 at the Beijing Olympics, a feat unmatched by any other global company.

In recognition of Taishan Sports' work and service during the Paris Games which was marked by "zero errors, zero malfunctions, and zero complaints", Bian was appointed honorary vice-chairman of the International Judo Federation during the event.

In addition to Taishan Sports, Chinese manufacturer Zhangkong Barbell from Hebei province also made a significant impact at the Paris Olympics, serving as the exclusive supplier of weightlifting equipment for the Games.

The company first entered the Olympic stage at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, breaking a six-time Olympic streak held by Japanese companies as the sole suppliers of Olympic barbells.

Building on its experience from the Beijing Olympics, Zhangkong Barbell went on to supply equipment for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and now the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking its fourth appearance as the Olympic weightlifting equipment supplier.

"The production of specialized equipment for the Paris Olympics began in October 2023," Zhang Zhiguo, the company's general manager, told People's Daily. "We assembled a technical team to conduct extensive experiments and tests, ultimately creating products that meet both the aesthetic requirements of the Organizing Committee and the quality standards of the International Weightlifting Federation."