When Feng Ming received the official letter inviting him to come to Japan, he was prepared to say no. It was 1999 and China, the undisputed powerhouse in the weightlifting world, was preparing for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. As a coach at Nanking Athletic University, Ming was training some of the country's finest young weightlifting hopefuls, and by leaving them then, he felt he'd not only be betraying his students, but also his country.

But it was the Chinese government that had delivered the invitation -- at the behest of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs -- and it was nothing if not flattering. Ming had been chosen from among all the weightlifting coaches in China to be one of 33 elite sports exchange advisers for the Japan Exchange and Teaching program. And of all the 33 coaches from 13 countries to participate, he would be the only weightlifting coach. Unsure of what to do, he sought his father's advice.

Ming's father, a watch repairer in a small town in Chekiang Province, had always been proud of his son, who from a young age had exhibited unusual talent as an athlete. He was especially proud, however, after Ming, as a student at Nanking Athletic University and a member of the Chinese National Weightlifting Team, returned from the 1994 World Championships in Jakarta with a gold medal and a new world record in the snatch competition for the 62-kg class. His advice to Ming: "In life, big opportunities don't come often. When such a chance comes your way, you should accept it as a gift of destiny."