China competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's ninth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1952. A total of 384 Chinese athletes, 136 men and 248 women, were selected by the Chinese Olympic Committee to compete in 28 sports. For the third time in its Olympic history, China was represented by more female than male athletes.
China left Athens with a total of 63 Olympic medals – 32 golds, 17 silver, and 14 bronze – finishing third in the overall medal standings and second only to the United States in the gold medal tally. The Chinese delegation proved particularly successful in several sports, winning nine medals each in diving and shooting, eight in weightlifting, six in table tennis, and five each in badminton and judo. Chinese athletes dominated in badminton, diving, and table tennis, where they each won gold medals in most sporting events. Three Chinese athletes managed to defend their titles from the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, while six of them won more than a single medal in Athens. China's team-based athletes came strong and successful in Athens, as the women's volleyball team managed to strike the Russians for the gold medal.
Among the nation's medalists were hurdler Liu Xiang, who emerged as China's first male athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men's track and field, badminton player Zhang Ning in the women's singles, diving tandem Wu Minxia and Guo Jingjing in the women's synchronized platform, and tennis players Li Ting and Sun Tiantian, who became the first Asians to capture an Olympic title in the women's doubles. Badminton player Gao Ling, who won a gold and a silver in both the mixed doubles with Zhang Jun and the women's doubles with Huang Sui, became the most decorated Chinese athlete in the sporting history with a total of four Olympic medals. Along with Zhang Jun and Gao Ling for their Olympic defense campaign, taekwondo jin Chen Zhong successfully repeated her gold medal from Sydney in the women's heavyweight division.
With Beijing being the host city of the 2008 Summer Olympics, a traditional Chinese segment directed by Zhang Yimou was performed during the closing ceremony.
Medalists
| style="text-align:left; width:72%; vertical-align:top;"| Medal Name Sport Event Date Diving Men's 10 m synchronized platform Diving Women's 3 m synchronized springboard Shooting Men's 10 m air pistol Shooting Women's 10 m air rifle Judo Women's 52 kg Diving Women's 10 m synchronized platform Shooting Men's 10 m air rifle Swimming Women's 100 m breaststroke Shi Zhiyong Weightlifting Men's 62 kg Weightlifting Women's 58 kg Weightlifting Men's 69 kg Badminton Women's singles Weightlifting Women's 69 kg Badminton Mixed doubles Badminton Women's doubles Table tennis Women's doubles Table tennis Men's doubles Weightlifting Women's +75 kg Gymnastics Men's pommel horse Table tennis Women's singles Tennis Women's doubles Shooting Men's 50 m rifle 3 positions Wrestling Women's freestyle 72 kg Diving Men's 3 m springboard Diving Women's 3 m springboard Athletics Men's 110 m hurdles Athletics Women's 10000 m Taekwondo Women's 67 kg Canoeing Men's C-2 500 m Diving Men's 10 m platform Taekwondo Women's +67 kg Volleyball Women's tournament Weightlifting Women's 48 kg Weightlifting Men's 56 kg Shooting Men's 10 m air rifle Weightlifting Men's 62 kg Fencing Men's épée Fencing Women's sabre Swimming Women's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay Judo Women's 78 kg Shooting Women's skeet Archery Women's team Badminton Women's doubles Cycling Women's track time trial Fencing Men's team foil Diving Women's 10 m platform Table tennis Men's singles Sailing Women's sailboard Diving Women's 3 m springboard Judo Women's 48 kg Shooting Men's double trap Shooting Women's double trap Badminton Women's singles Gymnastics Women's individual all-around Judo Women's 70 kg Shooting Women's 50 m rifle 3 positions Table tennis Women's doubles Gymnastics Women's trampoline Judo Women's +78 kg Gymnastics Men's parallel bars Table tennis Men's singles Diving Men's 10 m platform Boxing Men's light flyweight | style="text-align:left; width:23%; vertical-align:top;"|
Medals by sportSport TotalDiving 6219Weightlifting 5308Shooting 4329Table tennis 3126Badminton 3115Athletics 2002Taekwondo 2002Judo 1135Swimming 1102Gymnastics 1034Canoeing 1001Tennis 1001Volleyball 1001Wrestling 1001Fencing 0303Archery 0101Cycling 0101Sailing 0101Boxing 0011Total32171463
Archery
Five Chinese archers (two men and three women) qualified each for the men's and women's individual archery, and a spot for the women's team.
Men AthleteEventRanking roundRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / ScoreSeedOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankXue HaifengIndividual65327W 162–153W 162–161L 164–165Did not advanceYong Fujun65228L 143–146Did not advance
Women AthleteEventRanking roundRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / ScoreSeedOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankHe YingIndividual6674W 135–122W 166–157W 156–142L 89–109Did not advanceLin Sang64711L 156–159Did not advanceZhang Juanjuan6635W 135–122W 166–157L 161–165Did not advanceHe YingLin SangZhang JuanjuanTeam19772colspan=2 W 248–233W 241–230W 230–226L 240–241
Athletics
Chinese athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).
Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankAlatan Gadasu50 km walkcolspan=6 3:51:5510Chen Haijian100 m10.455Did not advanceDou Zhaobo1500 m3:50.2811colspan=2 Did not advanceHan GangMarathoncolspan=6 2:27:3166Han Yucheng20 km walkcolspan=6 1:32:184050 km walkcolspan=6 Li ZhuhongMarathoncolspan=6 2:19:2631Liu Xiang110 m hurdles13.271 Q13.271 Q13.182 Q12.91 Liu Yunfeng20 km walkcolspan=6 1:27:2125Shi Dongpeng110 m hurdles13.686Did not advanceYang Yaozu200 m20.594 Q21.038Did not advanceYu Chaohong50 km walkcolspan=6 3:43:454Zhu Hongjun20 km walkcolspan=6 1:21:406Zhu RonghuaMarathoncolspan=6 2:34:0276
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionLi RongxiangJavelin throw79.9415Did not advanceLi YanxiTriple jump16.7415Did not advanceLiu FeiliangPole vault—Did not advanceLiu YangHigh jump2.1036Did not advanceWu TaoDiscus throw60.6018Did not advanceZhou CanLong jump7.4734Did not advance
Combined events – Decathlon AthleteEvent 100 m 400 m 1500 mFinalRankQi HaifengResult11.067.3413.551.9749.6514.7845.134.5060.794:32.63793418Points847896701776831876770760750727
Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeatQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankBo Fanfang400 m56.017colspan=2 Did not advanceHuang Xiaoxiao400 m hurdles54.813 qcolspan=2 55.538Did not advanceJiang Jing20 km walkcolspan=6 1:35:5632Li HelanMarathoncolspan=6 2:37:5322Li Xuemei100 m12.217Did not advanceSong Hongjuan20 km walkcolspan=6 1:31:2714Su Yiping100 m hurdles13.537colspan=2 Did not advanceSun Yingjie5000 m15:03.007 qcolspan=4 15:07.23810000 mcolspan=6 30:54.376Wang Liping20 km walkcolspan=6 1:30:168Xing Huina5000 m14:56.015 Qcolspan=4 15:07.41910000 mcolspan=6 30:24.36Zhang ShujingMarathoncolspan=6 2:34:3412Zhou Chunxiucolspan=6 2:42:5433
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionGao ShuyingPole vault4.15=24Did not advanceGu YuanHammer throw71.653 Q69.7610Guan YingnanLong jump6.4619Did not advanceHuang QiuyanTriple jump14.666 Q14.3312Huang QunDiscus throw56.5332Did not advanceJing XuezhuHigh jump1.89=16Did not advanceLi FengfengShot put16.9023Did not advanceLi Meiju18.1611 q18.379Li YanfengDiscus throw61.3512 q61.058Liang ShuyanLong jump5.9235Did not advanceLiu YinghuiHammer throw68.1214Did not advanceMa NingJavelin throw59.8018Did not advanceSong AiminDiscus throw58.1925Did not advanceWang LinaLong jump6.5314Did not advanceXue JuanJavelin throw52.9737Did not advanceZhang HaoTriple jump13.3032Did not advanceZhang WenxiuHammer throw71.56 5 Q72.037Zhang XiaoyuShot put17.2220Did not advanceZhao YingyingPole vault4.3023Did not advance
Combined events – Heptathlon AthleteEvent 200 m 800 mFinalRankShen ShengfeiResult14.181.7314.2226.0146.952:29.50494927Points9538918097960801699
Badminton
Men AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankBao ChunlaiSinglesW 15–6, 15–5L 11–15, 12–15Did not advanceChen HongW 12–15, 15–9, 15–9W 15–11, 3–15, 15–12L 15–10, 4–15, 10–15Did not advanceLin DanL 12–15 10–15Did not advanceCai YunFu HaifengDoublesW 15–7, 16–17, 15–9L 15–3, 11–15, 8–15Did not advanceSang YangZheng BoW 15–11, 15–7L 7–15, 11–15Did not advance
Women AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankGong RuinaSinglesW 11–9, 11–4W 11–8, 11–3W 11–3, 11–3L 4–11, 2–11L 2–11, 11–8, 6–114Zhang NingW 4–11, 11–3, 11–7W 11–6, 11–8W 6–11, 11–6, 11–7W 11–6, 11–4W 8–11, 11–6, 11–7Zhou MiW 9–11, 11–5, 11–2W 11–2, 11–4W 11–4, 11–1L 6–11, 4–11W 11–2, 8–11, 11–6Gao LingHuang SuiDoublesW 15–12, 15–8W 15–6, 15–7W 15–10, 17–14L 15–7, 4–15, 8–15Wei YiliZhao TingtingW 13–15, 15–7, 15–5W 8–15, 15–6, 15–13L 10–15, 14–17L 15–10, 9–15,7–154Yang WeiZhang JiewenW 15–2, 6–15, 15–7W 15–2, 15–4W 15–6, 15–4W 7–15, 15–4, 11–8
Mixed AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankChen QiqiuZhao TingtingDoublesW 15–2, 15–3L 8–15, 15–17Did not advanceGao LingZhang JunW 15–5, 15–2W 15–3, 15–1W 15–9, 15–5W 15–1, 12–15, 15–12
Basketball
Men's tournament
Roster
Group play
Quarterfinals
Classification match (7th–8th place)
Women's tournament
Roster
Group play
Classification match (9th–10th place)
Boxing
People's Republic of China sent six boxers to Athens. They won one bronze medal, with one other quarterfinalist. Their combined record was 6-6 as three boxers lost their first matches. They were in a five-way tie for 16th place in the medals board for boxing.
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankZou ShimingLight flyweightW 22–9W 31–8W 20–12L 17–29Did not advanceLiu YuanBantamweightL 7–21Did not advanceChen TongzhouLightweightL 29–40Did not advanceHanati SilamuWelterweightW 29–17L 16–26Did not advanceHa DabateerMiddleweightL 18–25Did not advanceLei YupingLight heavyweightW 17–9W 17–9L 18–27Did not advance
Canoeing
Slalom AthleteEventPreliminarySemifinalFinalRun 1RankRun 2RankTotalRankTimeRankTimeRankTotalRankChen FubinTian QinMen's C-2123.6412125.0211248.6611Did not advanceLi JingjingWomen's K-1134.0718125.8519259.9218Did not advance
Sprint Men AthleteEventHeatsSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankJing YingC-1 1000 m4:05.8746 q4:00.6846Did not advanceLiu HaitaoK-1 500 m1:43.3377 q1:46.1798Did not advanceK-1 1000 m3:38.5228Did not advanceWang BingC-1 500 m1:51.9204 q1:51.6493 Q1:49.9039Meng GuanliangYang WenjunC-2 500 m1:38.9161 Qcolspan=2 1:40.278C-2 1000 m3:31.7955 q3:32.7923 Q3:52.9269Wang LeiYin YijunK-2 500 m1:37.0616 q1:38.5548Did not advanceK-2 1000 m3:21.2797 qDid not advance
Women AthleteEventHeatsSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankLi TingK-1 500 m1:55.4744 q1:53.5982 Q1:54.4739Xu LinbeiZhong HongyanK-2 500 m1:40.9432 Qcolspan="2" 1:40.9134Gao YiHe JingXu LinbeiZhong HongyanK-4 500 m1:34.2063 Qcolspan="2" 1:38.1447 Qualification Legend: Q = Qualify to final; q = Qualify to semifinal
Cycling
Road AthleteEventTimeRankZhang JunyingWomen's road race3:33:3547Qian Yunjuan3:33:3544
Track Time trial AthleteEventTimeRankJiang YonghuaWomen's time trial34.112
Omnium AthleteEventPointsLapsRankLi MeifangWomen's points race1014