Olympic Fever: Win a Pair of Specs From Oakley!

Sports brands are feverish with anticipation for the 2012 Olympics, and the California-based Oakley is no exception. To celebrate the launch of their waterproof and stress-resistant Crosslink specs, they commissioned graffiti artists ABS-Crew and cartoonist Li Quan to create art epitomizing gold medalist gymnast Xing Aowei and silver medalist beach volleyball player Tian Jia through a distinct personal lens. They unveiled the results last Friday, July 20 at Joy City Xidan to media, where we got the chance to speak with the Olympic artists and athletes personally, and also snagged a pair of RadarLock glasses (value RMB 2,500) – which is up for grabs for one of our dear readers.

The “Beyond Reason” campaign has already traveled all over the world, from New York to South Africa. This Beijing exhibition – named as such to describe the “driving attitude that fuels and fires athletes to exceed the limits of possibility” – was the independent China leg of the entire event series. You can find our interviews with the artists and athletes below.

FOR THE ARTISTS:
Why are you interested in creating sports-related art?
LQ: I’m very athletic myself. Brands need artists to promote their vision and their products in a creative way.
AC: More and more sports brands want to be about more than just exercise, they want to communicate a lifestyle.

Tell us about the athlete you’re epitomizing and how you managed to capture their spirit.
AC: I viewed Xing Aowei as a very energetic, animated person. But I wanted to focus on his struggles, his injuries and how he was able to overcome them. Revealing his vulnerable side can conjure up stronger feelings, and have a greater impact.
LQ: I wanted to keep it simple, and make [Tian Jia] look as beautiful and healthy as possible.

FOR THE ATHLETES:
What have you been up to since the Olympics 2012?
XA: Since my gymnastics career, I’ve started playing golf pretty seriously. I love it.
TJ: I’ve been training everyday for 6-7 hours. I usually go from 9-11am, then 3-6pm.

What did you think of your paintings?
XA: It’s perfect. No, really. Sports aren’t easy – this piece depicts all the hardships we have to go through.
TJ: Li Quan’s very talented. Look at the details on this bikini, the shadows on the water, the grains of sand.

How has China’s role in the Olympics evolved over the years?
XA: Don’t get me started. When I first started competing in the 2000 Olympics, the other teams asked me, “Where’s your long braid?” No one had any idea about China. We need to keep doing our best, to show the outside world what modern Chinese people are like. Handsome and cool, like me! [laughs]

And now, finally, for those here for the freebies: We have a pair of brand new RadarLock lens for one lucky reader. Hundreds of Olympic athletes will be sporting them in London while competing, and its main spokesperson is Oscar Pistorius, the first-ever double amputee to ever compete in the Olympics (running). We’re told they are “designed to deliver comfort, performance and protection for athletes at any level.” Just tell us: At what age was Xing Aowei selected to join the Shandong team? The first person to email the correct answer to tiffanywang@truerun.com wins.