China

A young Chinese gymnast practises her leaps at Wuhan School of Sport where dozens of children with sporting potential stay in dormitories away from their families. Each year thousands of children, some as young as four, are enrolled in the schools and begin the harsh training regimes designed to turn them into Olympic winners. If they succeed in winning Olympic gold they are rewarded with a $25,000 payment from the government. Photographed July, 1993.