China's Olympic gold medalists cash in on their success

Gold medalists of the London Olympics welcome a new round of harvest back to China, including a large sum of bonus money as well as high appearance fees in commercial opportunites.

According to Chengdu Business Daily, Sun Yang, a Chinese swimmer who won two gold medals at the Games, can earn about one million yuan ($157,400) in a few hours by making commercial appearances. Moreover, more than 200 enterprises have the intention to invite him to be their spokesman. The appearing fee of Ye Shiwen, a female swimmer who also won two Olympic gold, reaches about 500,000 yuan a time.

The benefits also go to an Olympian's coach and the whole team.

London Olympics 3m springboard synchronized diving winner Qin Kai and his coach were awarded 900,000 yuan each during a welcome meeting held by Shannxi province to honor their Olympic champions days ago, Xi'an Evening News reported.

The coach of Guo Wenjun, who won a gold in the women's 10m air pistol shooting, got the same amount of price money - 600,000 yuan - as his champion apprentice.

In the hometown of weightlifter Zhou Lulu who won gold at the London Olympics, a grand concert was held in the Muping to welcome the champion home and ten thousands people turned out to congratulate her.

However, some people think that Olympic gold medalists think too highly of themselves and they ask for too much money to do commercial activities. For example, Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen, who are both very popular with enterprises, scare many of them away because their appearance fees are too high, according to Chengdu Business Daily.