Zhang Huimin, Huang Li, and Beijing Olympics Fever

One of the interesting side effects (consequences?) of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China is some seemingly strange-but-true stories of Chinese children performing unnatural physical feats in the name of national pride. First their was Zhang Huimin, an 8-year-old girl who apparently ran 3500km from Hainan Provence to Beijing at a pace of 1 1/2 marathons per day for 55 days, with her father bicycling alongside. Her father was later accused of abusing her. Today we hear a story of Huang Li, a 10-year-old girl who reportedly swam 3km in the Xiang river with her hands tied together. I can only assume that the International attention of these odd feats means there are more to come before the Olympics arrive in August 2008.