Introduction: This study aims to develop an understanding of the factors which are perceived to positively and negatively influence the performance of Olympic and/or championship athletes and to examine differences in performance factors cited by athletes in China. This study examined factors that contributed to the success and failure of athletes. Themes were identified from the analysis of the interview data. Combining these themes, ten general dimensions of success and failure were identified. Methods Participants: The sample for this study were 14 athletes who had won gold medals at Olympic and/or world championships for China, including nine women and five men aged 20 to 36. There was one team sport athlete and thirteen individual sport athletes. Five participants had retired. Data collection and analysis Qualitative data analysis was utilized in this investigation. An in-depth interview was conducted by the main researcher with each athlete. At the beginning of the interview, the participants were asked to sign a consent form. Participants were told to talk about the circumstances and events that led up to a successful and an unsuccessful experience. Participants were asked to talk as much as they could and to be as thorough as possible. Interviews lasted 27 to 80 min (mean 53.5 min). Interviews were recorded using a digital voice recorder (SonyICP-P520; Sony Corporation, Tokyo). All raw interview data was given to a peer debriefer who was trained in sport psychology. All interviews were coded and analyzed inductively usi ng QSR NVivo (v. 7.0): Complete Word file transcriptions were imported into NVivo, where free nodes (cf. open coding, Strauss & Corbin, 1998) were used to categorize chunks of text. Investigators separated the respondents` statements into themes which were in turn organized in to dimensions. Results The raw themes were categorized into broader dimensions. Factors contributing to success were identified as: calm, concentration, smooth preparation, a lack of stress and flow. Factors detracting from success included: mental fatigue, disrupted rhythm, negative emotions, pressure, and a loss of flow. Discussion The most frequently mentioned factors in this investigation focused on pressure. Most participants regarded the authority of sport as a great stressor which could cause mental fatigue and even burnout. Important differences may exist between China and Western countries. This study is unique in its survey of Chinese speaking athletes, making a cross-cultural extension of the existing information. Most sports psychology literature focuses on western culture. Given the lack of cross-cultural research in sport psychology, it is important to compare such studies. Interventions focused on coping strategies for the sources of stress associated with competition should be investigated.
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