China rethinks its sporting obsession as Rio Olympics approach

Students practice badminton at the Shichahai sports school in Beijing, China, March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Change is unfolding at Shanghai's No.1 Children's Sports School Pudong New Area, a small cog in a state-run machine that has churned out Chinese Olympic champions for three and a half decades.

China's sports system has been enormously successful since the country returned to the Olympic fold in 1980, culminating with the host nation topping the medals' table at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with only a slight dip into second place behind the United States in London four years later.