Text/Extraordinary Elves
Edit/Extraordinary Elves
God is jealous of talents, and bad news is coming
On July 1, 2024, a summer day that should have been full of passion and hope has become the darkest day in the Chinese badminton world. At the 2024 Asian Youth Badminton Championships held in Indonesia, the 17-year-old Chinese teenager Zhang Zhijie suddenly fell to the ground during the game and finally died due to ineffective rescue. The bad news was like a bolt from the blue, and everyone who followed the event fell into deep grief.
A new star in the badminton world, the future is promising
Zhang Zhijie, born in January 2007 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, has shown a love and talent for badminton since he was a child. still remembers that his parents once talked to reporters that when Xiao Zhijie was four or five years old, he could swing a racket and play ball in the yard, but his small figure revealed a surprising concentration.
Who would have thought that this little boy who used to sweat in the yard would become a rising star in the Chinese badminton world in just over a decade? In 2023, Zhang Zhijie was successfully selected for the national youth team with his outstanding performance. This is undoubtedly a huge affirmation and encouragement for a 16-year-old teenager. Since then, he has been like a wild horse that has shone in major youth competitions.
2022 National U Series U15-17 Group Singles Champion, 2023 National Youth Badminton Championship Group B Singles and Doubles Champion, 2024 Netherlands Youth Badminton International Singles Champion...... This series of honors all demonstrates Zhang Zhijie's strength and potential.
In the eyes of the national team coach, Zhang Zhijie is the hope of the future. They often say, "This kid doesn't just play well, but he doesn't have to say anything about his mental quality." At the critical moment, the more stable it is, this is the material of the champion! "Who would have thought that this rising star would fall forever at its most brilliant.
Sudden tragedy, life hanging by a thread
On July 1, the mixed team group stage group stage of the 2024 Asian Youth Badminton Championships Group D match was in full swing. The Chinese team played against the Japanese team, the two sides were equal in strength, and the game was extremely fierce.
The scene at that time still makes people feel palpitations in retrospect. Zhang Zhijie was fighting the field, and suddenly, his movements became sluggish and his face turned pale. Before everyone could react, he fell heavily on the court, and his whole body began to convulse uncontrollably.
There was an uproar at the scene, and the coach and team doctor immediately rushed to the field. However, who would have thought that this would be the last game in Zhang Zhijie's life? Witnesses recalled: "There was chaos on the field, some people were shouting, some people were crying. I saw Zhijie lying there, his body convulsing incessantly, and his face was frighteningly pale. At that moment, my heart was about to jump out. "
In the face of this sudden change, the medical team at the scene immediately launched an emergency rescue. However, at this critical moment, a series of omissions and problems followed, which became the focus of endless regret and reflection in the future.
According to the audience, in the first few minutes when Zhang Zhijie fell to the ground, no one on the field performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Some people explain that it is because of the fear that rash rescue will aggravate the injury, but this explanation is obviously not convincing. In life-critical moments, every second counts, and these precious moments are wasted.
What is even more unacceptable is that when the coach and team doctor tried to rush onto the field, they were stopped by the referee. The referee insisted on playing by the rules of the game. One witness angrily said, "I can't believe my eyes!" Zhijie's life and death there are uncertain, but they are struggling with what rules! Where is humanity in this? "
It was only after the strong protest of the spectators on the sidelines that the medical team was able to enter the stadium to carry out rescue. However, it was too late. Despite their best efforts, Zhang's vital signs continued to deteriorate.
Saddened death
After several hours of rescue, Zhang Zhijie left this world at 23:20 that night. This 17-year-old boy, who was once full of energy and hope for the future, has left us forever.
After the news broke, the entire badminton community fell into deep grief. The Asian Badminton Association, the Indonesian Badminton Association and the Organizing Committee of the tournament have issued statements expressing their deep condolences over this unfortunate incident.
The statement from the Asian Badminton Federation reads: "We have lost a talented player, a bright star in the badminton world. Zhang Zhijie's departure is not only a loss to the Chinese badminton community, but also a huge loss to the entire Asian and even world badminton world. "
There was also a wave of mourning on social media. Countless netizens have posted to express their reluctance and condolences to Zhang Zhijie. Someone wrote: "God is jealous of talents! Zhijie, you left too early, we haven't had time to see you win glory for the country in the Olympics! Another person said: "17 years old, it is the age of the prime, and there should be a good future, but it came to an abrupt end, which is too heart-wrenching." "
Reflect and call for prevention
In addition to the grief, the tragedy has also triggered deep reflection and extensive discussion about the health of young athletes. Some experts pointed out that young athletes are in the stage of rapid physical development, and high-intensity training may put a lot of burden on their bodies. Therefore, scientific training methods and regular physical examinations are particularly important.
This accident has indeed left a deep inspiration for us, life comes first. This is the most important revelation. No competition or performance can override the safety of athletes. We need to revisit our values and put the health and safety of our athletes first.
We need to pay more attention to daily physical examination and health monitoring, and establish a better early warning mechanism to detect and deal with potential health risks as early as possible. This incident has exposed our inadequacies in emergency management. We need to strengthen emergency rescue training for personnel in all aspects and improve emergency response plans.
Balancing the pursuit of excellence with the protection of athletes. We need to find a balance between the pursuit of athletic performance and the protection of athletes' physical and mental health, and develop a more scientific and reasonable training plan. Mental health cannot be ignored. We should pay more attention to the mental health of athletes and provide them with necessary psychological support and counseling.
The importance of institution-building. We need to establish a more complete system, including a physical examination system, an emergency rescue system, and a mental health protection system, to systematically protect athletes. The attention and participation of the whole society. This is not only a problem in the sports world, but also requires the attention and participation of the whole society to jointly create a healthier and safer sports environment.
Transparency and accountability. In the aftermath of similar incidents, we need to conduct a thorough, public investigation to find out the root cause of the problem and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. The importance of continuous improvement. We can't just act when something goes wrong, but we need to build a culture of continuous improvement and constantly improve our sports system.
Respect life and cherish the present. This tragedy reminds us of the fragility of life and makes us cherish the good times in front of us even more. Anyway, what do you think about this? Do you think there's anything else that needs to be improved?