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In the eighties and nineties of the last century, the Chinese women's volleyball team inspired generation after generation of Chinese with its fighting spirit and brilliant achievements, and at the same time, the Chinese table tennis team also relied on its strong strength to occupy the hegemony of the world table tennis for a long time, however, behind the flowers and applause, there was hidden unknown bitterness and helplessness.
At that time, the Chinese table tennis men's team fell into a trough, and although the women's team was strong overall, it was also facing challenges from other countries. Under the tremendous pressure of the "championship theory", in order to ensure that the Chinese team won the championship in the World Championships, some black-box operations and unfair treatment began to breed in the team, damaging the personal interests and development space of some athletes.
In the face of injustice, some people choose to endure in silence, some choose to rebel, and some people choose another path - to become a foreign citizen and represent other countries.
Today, let's talk about the four Chinese women's table tennis world champions who chose to "go abroad", their experiences are a microcosm of the Chinese sports scene in that era, and also reflect the collision between the personal fate of athletes and the torrent of the times.
Geng Lijuan who left Canada: an underrated talent
In 1963, Geng Lijuan was born in an ordinary family in Hebei Province, since she was a child, she has shown extraordinary table tennis talent, with the sharp play style of fast attack on both sides of the horizontal board, all the way through, and knocked on the door of the national team at the age of 18.
In 1981, the fledgling Geng Lijuan unexpectedly lost to the North Korean player in the third round of the women's singles at the 36th World Table Tennis Championships and was almost returned to the provincial team
In 1982, in the women's singles final of the National Championships, she defeated Tong Ling, who was in full swing at the time, and became famous and successfully entered the main layer of the women's team.
In 1983, Geng Lijuan ushered in the first peak of her career, at the 37th World Table Tennis Championships, as a member of the women's team lineup, with her tenacious style and excellent performance, she defeated strong opponents such as North Korea and Japan one after another, helping the Chinese team successfully defend the women's team championship.
In the 38th World Table Tennis Championships in 1985, Geng Lijuan went to the next level, breaking into the semifinals in singles, and cooperating with her teammates in doubles, once again standing on the highest podium.
However, at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, they lost to Korea in the final, and Geng Lijuan also took on huge pressure; Two years later, Geng Lijuan gradually faded out of the main layer, and in frustration, she chose to leave Canada to continue her table tennis career.
In Canada, Geng Lijuan found a long-lost sense of happiness and accomplishment, not only won the Canada National Championship many times, but also represented Canada at the 1991 and 1995 World Table Tennis Championships, and continued to show her strength on the international stage.
Geng Lijuan's story may be the best footnote to China's table tennis "full of talents", in that era, even if she has the strength of a world champion, she may not be able to get the attention and opportunities she deserves, Geng Lijuan's choice may be a kind of helplessness, but for her personally, it is not a relief.
Ni Xialian, who has fought so far: a "grandma-level" player who does not admit defeat
If you want to select the most inspirational athlete in the world table tennis arena, Ni Xialian is definitely on the list, this Shanghai girl born in 1963, with her full attack style of playing with positive glue long glue straight shot long rubber inverted board, is unique in the world table tennis world, and is still active on the field so far.
In 1979, 16-year-old Ni Xialian was selected for the national team with her outstanding skills, and three years later, she won two gold medals in the women's team and mixed doubles at the New Delhi Asian Games.
The 38th World Table Tennis Championships in 1983 was the highlight of Ni Xialian's career, she not only won all the women's team competitions and helped the Chinese team win the championship, but also won the mixed doubles championship with her partner Guo Yuehua.
In 1985, Ni Xialian participated in the World Table Tennis Championships again, and both singles and mixed doubles reached the top eight, and the women's doubles also won the runner-up, and the results are still outstanding.
However, just when everyone thought that Ni Xialian would continue to shine in the national team, she made a surprising decision - retirement, and in 1986, Ni Xialian went to play in Germany with her husband, and later settled in Luxembourg and represented Luxembourg in international competitions.
Regarding her choice, Ni Xialian explained: "At that time, the domestic competition was too fierce, and I wanted to change the environment and play in a different mood. ”
In Luxembourg, Ni Xialian started the second spring of her life, not only won multiple European titles, but also participated in five Olympic Games, and at Sydney 2000, she reached the quarterfinals of the women's singles, setting a personal best.
In 2002, Ni Xialian divorced her ex-husband and married her partner and coach Tommy Danielson, and the two had similar interests, supported each other, and continued to move forward hand in hand on the road of table tennis.
Today, Ni Xialian, who is nearly sixty years old, is still active on the field, and her spirit of not accepting old age has also touched countless fans.
Ho Chi-li, who married Japan: the controversial "Avenger"
Unlike Geng Lijuan and Ni Xialian, He Zhili's "exodus" is full of controversy and drama, the Shanghai girl born in 1964, because of her "disobedience" at the 1987 World Table Tennis Championships, finally chose to marry Japan, and a few years later, personally defeated Deng Yaping of the Chinese team.
In 1981, at the age of 17, He Zhili defeated a number of national team players in the national competition, showing amazing talent, and thus won the opportunity to enter the national team.
In 1982, she won the national championship in nine games and nine wins in the national table tennis outstanding athlete competition, and in 1984, she won the women's singles championship at the Asian Championships, and gradually grew into the absolute main force of Chinese women's table tennis.
In 1985, at the 38th World Table Tennis Championships, He Zhili, as a member of the women's team, helped the Chinese team successfully defend the championship, however, in the singles competition, she lost to her teammates in the semifinals and only won the third place.
The 1987 World Table Tennis Championships became a turning point in He Zhili's fate, in the women's singles semifinals, she met her teammates again, according to the arrangement of the coaching staff, she needed to "handbag" to her teammates to ensure that the Chinese team won the championship and runner-up, however, He Zhili, who was stubborn, chose to "disobey" and finally defeated her teammates.
He Zhili's "disobedience" behavior, although it won her the world championship, also offended the coaching staff and put her in an isolated situation within the team; In 1988, the disheartened He Zhili chose to leave China, marry Japan, and became a Japanese citizen, changing her name to Koyama Zhili.
In the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, it became the stage for Koyama Zhili's "revenge", in the women's singles final, she met Deng Yaping, and finally defeated Deng Yaping 3:1 to win the gold medal.
For her choice, Koyama Zhili has never regretted it, she said: "I just want to prove my strength, I haven't done anything wrong." ”
The story of Koyama Zhili is a tragedy in the Chinese sports world of that era, under the pressure of the "gold medal theory", the personal value and dignity of athletes are often ignored and sacrificed, and Koyama Zhili's "disobedience", although it is a kind of "revenge", but also reflects the helplessness and struggle of athletes in that era.
Jiao Zhimin, who married Korea: the most regrettable "victim"
If you want to select the most regrettable athlete in the history of Chinese women's table tennis, Jiao Zhimin's name will definitely be mentioned, this Heilongjiang girl born in 1963, with superb skills and elegant temperament, known as the "Queen of Table Tennis", however, her career has been overshadowed by a "handicap turmoil".
42 years ago, 19-year-old Jiao Zhimin made a name for himself in the national competition, won the third place in the women's singles, and thus entered the national team.
After entering the national team, Jiao Zhimin quickly grew into the absolute main force in the team, and in 1984, she won the Asian Championships women's singles championship; In 1985, at the 38th World Table Tennis Championships, she cooperated with her teammates and won two gold medals in women's doubles and mixed doubles.
In the 39th World Table Tennis Championships in 1987, Jiao Zhimin once again showed her strong strength, she passed all the way in the women's singles competition, met her teammates in the finals, and finally won the runner-up.
The 1988 Seoul Olympics was the last major tournament of Jiao Zhimin's career, and in the women's singles semi-finals, she encountered her teammates, and according to the arrangement of the coaching staff, she needed to "concede" to her teammates to ensure that the Chinese team won the championship and second place.
Although Jiao Zhimin was unwilling to "handicap the ball", she finally chose to obey, and in the final, her teammates defeated another Chinese player and successfully won the championship.
However, behind this "gold medal", there is a lot of controversy and doubts, many people believe that Jiao Zhimin's strength is fully capable of defeating his teammates and winning the gold medal, and the "handicap" behavior is not only disrespectful to Jiao Zhimin's personal efforts, but also a violation of sportsmanship.
After the Seoul Olympics, the disheartened Jiao Zhimin chose to retire, she went to Sweden to study at her own expense, and eventually married Korea athlete Ahn Jae-hyung and settled in Korea.
Regarding his choice, Jiao Zhimin said: "I don't want to go back to that place full of intrigue, I just want to live a peaceful life." ”
In 2004, Jiao Zhimin returned to China and started her own business, starting a sports culture company dedicated to promoting table tennis, but also hoping to help more young athletes realize their dreams.
Jiao Zhimin's story is a victim of the "gold medal theory" in Chinese sports in that era, in the face of "national honor", athletes' personal interests and dreams, often forced to give in, Jiao Zhimin's experience, but also triggered people's thinking about sportsmanship and athletes' personal value.
epilogue
These four Chinese women's table tennis world champions who chose to "go abroad" have different experiences, but they all reflect the complexity of Chinese sports in that era and the helplessness of athletes' personal choices.
In addition, the impact of an athlete's choice of nationality on sport is a complex and multifaceted issue, involving national honour, personal development, sportsmanship and international relations.
Positive Impact:
Promote the globalization of sports and enhance the excitement of the event: The cross-border movement of athletes can bring advanced training concepts and technologies to other countries, promote the common improvement of the sports level of different countries, and at the same time, the participation of more diversified athletes also increases the spectacle of the competition and promotes the global development of sports.
Provide a broader platform for athletes: Some countries may not be able to provide the best platform for athletes to develop due to factors such as economic conditions, training levels or competitive environment. Athletes who choose to join a sports powerhouse can get better training resources, coaching teams and competition opportunities, which is conducive to the improvement of their personal competition level and career development.
Breaking down barriers between countries and promoting cultural exchanges: Sports are known as "messengers of peace", and the cross-border movement of athletes can promote mutual understanding and exchanges between people from different cultural backgrounds, enhance friendship, break down barriers between countries, and promote world peace and development.
Negative effects:
Causing a brain drain and affecting the development of sports in some countries and regions: Sports powers often use naturalized athletes to quickly improve their own strength, but for athlete-sending countries, especially developing countries, it is a kind of brain drain, which may affect their sports development and even exacerbate the gap in competitive level.
Controversy over national honor and national sentiment: Athletes represent the country and carry national honor and national feelings, and if an athlete joins other countries and plays against the original national team, it may cause some controversy, and even be regarded as a "traitor" by some people, causing pressure on public opinion.
Challenging the principles of sportsmanship and fair competition: Some countries or organizations may take advantage of loopholes in the rules to introduce abnormal talents, such as the temptation of high salaries, policy preferences, etc., which violates the principles of sportsmanship and fair competition, and may also cause sports friction between countries.
However, in any case, the choice of nationality of athletes is an individual's freedom and right, and we should respect their choice, and at the same time, we should also look at the impact of cross-border movement of athletes dialectically, actively guide them, and pursue advantages and avoid disadvantages.
Governments, sports organizations and individual athletes should shoulder their responsibilities to jointly safeguard the fairness, justice and purity of sports, return sports to its essence, and promote the progress and development of human society.
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