A permanent exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of Tianjin native Eric Henry Liddell's gold medal during the 1924 Paris Olympic Games was unveiled on Tuesday at the Tianjin Sports Museum. [Photo by Wu Mingjun/For chinadaily.com.cn]
A permanent exhibition commemorating Tianjin native Eric Henry Liddell's gold medal at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympic Games was unveiled at the Tianjin Sports Museum on Tuesday.
Attendees at the ceremony, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Liddell's feat, were moved to tears while watching a documentary video and listening to a letter from his 88-year-old daughter.
A century ago, Liddell, who is widely known in Tianjin as Li Airui, clinched the men's 400-meter gold medal by shattering the world record and becoming the first Olympic champion to have been born in China.
The so-called Flying Scotsman, who was born in the city in 1902, made the courageous decision in 1925 to leave behind the comforts of Great Britain and return to his birthplace.
Amid the tumultuous war years of the mid-20th century, he devoted the prime of his life to the city of Tianjin.
Liddell engaged in educating chemistry students and nurturing sports talent. He actively participated in the renovation of Minyuan Stadium, the country's first sports arena, leaving an enduring mark on the advancement of sports in the municipality.