Alex Hua Tian

:"Family name is Hua; Alex's father's name is "Hua Shan".

Alex Hua Tian (Chinese: 華天, born October 25, 1989 in London) [ [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/22/content_6557306.htm Chinese riders feeling the heat] ] is an Olympic equestrian sportsman for China.

He was born in London to a Chinese father and a British mother, and has a brother, called Jamie Hua Ming. Alex started riding aged four while living in Beijing and later Hong Kong. His family moved to Wiltshire when he was 11 and then to Horsham in West Sussex.

He is the only Chinese event rider competing internationally. He qualified four horses for the Olympics between October 2007 and May 2008. Although as a host nation competitor he only needed to achieve a minimum standard, he qualified in his own right through the rankings as the youngest ever Olympic event rider. He is currently ranked 21st in the world.

Having achieved five A grades in his AS-levels, Alex has taken a year out of his studies at Eton to prepare for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He is being coached by the former world champion Clayton Fredericks and his wife Lucinda Fredericks, who won the Burghley Horse Trials 2006 and Badminton Horse Trials 2007, at their base in Wiltshire.

See also

*China at the 2008 Summer Olympics

References

* [http://2008teamchina.olympic.cn/index.php/personview/personsen/2686 Beijing 2008 Olympic Profile]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1562617/Eton-schoolboy-holds-Chinese-Olympic-dream.html Eton schoolboy holds Chinese Olympic dream]

External links

* [http://www.2008huatian.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/22/content_6557306.htm Alex Hua Tian saddles up for date with destiny]
* [http://www.teamfredericks.com/alex-hua-tian Alex Hua Tian] - Team Fredericks
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNEklKTYlzM CCTV-5 short documentary]
* [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2007-08/22/content_6036154.htm Eton schoolboy gallops toward Beijing Games]
* [http://picasaweb.google.com/TeamChina08/PressPhotos Team China 2008 Press Photos]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/may/04/olympicgames2008.olympicgames2008 China's Olympic riding hope is Eton schoolboy] The Observer, May 4 2008