Huang Xuechen (left) and Liu Ou on the podium after winning bronze in the synchronised swimming competition at the 2012 Olympic Games. Photo Provided to China Daily

"Reporters love her," said Li. "She is one of the few Chinese athletes able to freely express themselves in English. Through English, Xu has learned a lot about the world and vice versa."

Li believes that Xu's superior English skills could see her altering the stereotypical image of Chinese athletes, by helping the world to understand more about them, he said.

Instead of mechanically answering "Yes" or "No", many Chinese athletes are now able to talk about themselves and their careers in greater depth. They have a passion for life and sports and have demonstrated that they are not simply "medal machines", according to Li.

Outside sports

Highly developed language skills can also provide a brighter future for athletes when they retire, said Huang Xuechen, who won bronze and silver medals in the synchronized swimming events at the London Games.

"My life is not just about swimming. I am going to retire someday, and by then, my English skills might help me find a new job or apply for a college overseas," said Huang.

She admitted that she is still working on her English, but is able to conduct basic interviews with the foreign media. In addition to taking advantage of the English-learning programs provided by the General Administration of Sport, she has been teaching herself by surfing English-language websites.

"After training and practice every day, learning English is actually a good way to relax," she said.

Xu's language skills have also been welcomed by The International Sailing Federation. She said international sporting organizations are eager to work with people with different language skills, and upon retirement she would be delighted to join the federation and dedicate the rest of her life to sailing.

Away from the Olympics, China's top-ranked tennis player Li Na has also impressed the world with her proficiency in English. "Before this tournament, people said I couldn't do well on clay courts. Now I think they will change their minds," said Li in English after winning the French Open championship in 2011 and becoming Asia's first Grand Slam champion.

As international brands chase the Chinese market, sports stars capable of boasting an international image are in a seller's market.

"She (Li Na) speaks English, she has a great personality, and she's a champion in a sport that China has traditionally not dominated. And with (basketball star) Yao Ming retiring, that leaves a big hole," commented Terry Rhoads, former head of sports marketing at Nike, in an interview with the British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph. "She is also a great ambassador, very pleasant and very interesting. That has a positive effect on the way that people see China and makes Chinese people feel very proud."

The legendary table tennis player, Deng Yaping, who won six world championships and four Olympic gold medals, began learning English in 1997 at the ripe old age of 24. In Moscow in 2001, she made the final presentation for Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games in English, and took a lead role in winning the bid.

Subsequently, Deng received a master's degree from the University of Nottingham in 2002 and a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2008.

She talked about learning the language in a speech delivered in English at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where she studied for her bachelor's degree. She told the audience that learning the language had not been easy, but the secret of her success came from establishing her goal, being confident and, just as in the field of sports, plenty of "practice, practice, practice."

Contact the reporters at pengyining@chinadaily.com.cn, yuyilei@chinadaily.com.cn and sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn

Yang Xinwei contributed to the story.