BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese athletics men's 4X100m relay team won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics two days ago because their opponents violated anti-doping regulations. After Lü Xiaojun, who was on vacation at his home in Tianjin, learned of this news, while comforting his relatives and friends who asked kindly with "good things and many grinding", he secretly rushed to the fire. He thought, "When will the gold medal at the Rio Olympics be given to me?" ”
On July 31, In the men's 81 kg final of the Tokyo Olympics, China's Lu Xiaojun won the championship. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Lei
If you don't forget it, there will be an echo. The anxious wait of the "god of war" actually responded two days later. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on its official website that Kazakh weightlifter Rasimov violated the relevant anti-doping regulations, canceled all his results between March 15, 2016 and January 18, 2021, and withdrew all his medals, including the gold medal in the men's weightlifting 77 kg at the 2016 Rio Olympics. This means that the runner-up of the year, Lu Xiaojun, is expected to be awarded a gold medal, thus achieving the feat of three consecutive Olympic championships.
Just after accompanying his daughter to online classes, Lu Xiaojun said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency on the 23rd that although the gold medal has not yet arrived, everything is proceeding as planned, which makes him feel extremely pleased. He said: "I am particularly happy now, this gold medal and the 'triple crown' are rewards for me, a veteran athlete who has dedicated my life to weightlifting, and I am looking forward to this gold medal. ”
Lu Xiaojun took a group photo with his daughter. Image from Lu Xiaojun's Weibo.
Lu Xiaojun, 37, still remembers the press conference after the Rio Olympics, saying: "I was at the press conference to win the gold medal for Rasimov, but I said that when I got to Tokyo, I would have to compete with him again." I couldn't bear to lose. ”
Lu Xiaojun said that he would like to thank the rio Olympics experience, which made him throw himself into the preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games without hesitation, even if the epidemic caused the postponement of the Olympic Games, in the face of various difficulties, he did not waver and retreat in the slightest. He said: "It is this incident that makes me firm, I must insist on another Olympic Games." ”
At the Tokyo Olympics, Lu Xiaojun won his second Olympic gold medal by defeating a cadre of newcomers, and Rasimov had already been banned for doping. After the game, Lu Xiaojun appealed that he hoped that the International Weightlifting Federation and the International Olympic Committee could consider the mood of an old athlete and let him win the late gold medal as soon as possible.
In the past six months, Lu Xiaojun has been accompanying his family and is on vacation, but he has not been far from weightlifting. He said: "Although I am resting during this time, I have never forgotten the lifting family, and I have been on the weightlifting bar in my life." I didn't think about retiring, I hope to return to the national team as an assistant coach, teach and practice, and give the young players a good start. ”
Image from Lu Xiaojun's Weibo.
For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lu Xiaojun did not easily make a commitment, he said: "I have confidence in the Paris Olympics, but I know that it will be a very difficult, very difficult preparation process. Lu Xiaojun admitted that the announcement of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport has changed his original plan, and perhaps the olympic four consecutive championships will become his new goal.
"I don't want to easily promise anything until everything becomes clear. But to be sure, I am now eagerly awaiting my return to the national team. Lu Xiaojun said.
The Chinese weightlifting team is also waiting for The return of Lu Xiaojun. If the gold medal of the Rio Olympics is supplied to Lu Xiaojun, the Rio record of the Chinese weightlifting team will be rewritten to 6 gold and 2 silver, which is also the best record in the Olympic history of the Chinese weightlifting team that year.