Behind the handshake turmoil
Dear sports fans, have you ever thought that behind those glamorous medals, small misunderstandings between athletes can also become our after-dinner conversations? Recently, a storm caused by the "handshake" has caused a lot of ripples in the international swimming world. Today, let's talk about the ins and outs of this incident and see how sportsmanship shines through misunderstandings.
Misunderstanding occurs in context
It is said that on August 5, Beijing time, on the field of the Paris Olympic Games, a fierce competition for the 200-meter individual medley has just come to an end. France teenager Marchand won the gold medal with an outstanding performance and broke Phelps' record.
And our Wang Shun unfortunately won the bronze medal. It was supposed to be an exciting matchup, but unexpectedly, a small episode after the awards ceremony overshadowed the victory.
At that time, Wang Shun's coach Zhu Zhigen, a respected old coach, stretched out his hand to Marchand with joy, wanting to express his congratulations. But who knows, Marchand went directly under the rope as if he didn't see it, and this scene was instantly captured by the camera, which aroused widespread attention and discussion.
The reaction of the Chinese swimming team
In the face of this sudden "embarrassment", the reaction of the Chinese swimming team can be said to be both unexpected and firm. Coach Yu Cheng stood up for the first time to clarify, he said that Marchand may have been busy hugging his coach at the time, and didn't notice Coach Zhu's invitation to shake hands, and there was also a greeting afterwards, so there was no need to exaggerate.
But Yu Liang, the nutritionist in the team, was not so "polite", he directly said: "The division is not right, and the morality is not worthy." Although this sentence is sharp, it also expresses the dissatisfaction in the hearts of many people.
Marchand's explanation
In the face of the pressure of public opinion, Marchand did not choose to remain silent. He quickly stood up and explained, saying that he was inattentive at the time, mistakenly thinking that Coach Zhu was helping with the rope, and didn't think about shaking hands at all.
This explanation sounds a little "silly", but it also reveals his sincerity and apology. After all, as a young athlete, occasional oversights are inevitable in the heat of competition.
Marchand's first attempt at apologizing
In order to make up for his mistakes, Marchand couldn't wait to come to the rest area of the Chinese team with the coach of the France team on August 3, hoping to explain and apologize to Coach Zhu Zhigen in person.
It's a pity that God didn't fulfill people's wishes, Coach Zhu happened to be absent that day, and Marchand's apology could only be conveyed through other members of the Chinese team. Although he was unable to meet Coach Zhu directly, Marchand's sincerity is still worthy of recognition.
Marchand's achievements
Speaking of Marchand, the France youngster is the big winner of this Olympic Games. He not only won the gold medal in the men's 200m individual medley, but also won gold medals in the men's 200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley in the previous competition. And his coach Bowman, who was once the coach of legendary United States swimmer Phelps.
The second apology was successful
As a formal apology, Marchand did not give up. After the game on August 4, he came to the rest area of the Chinese team again, and this time he finally met Coach Zhu Zhigen.
The two had an in-depth exchange face-to-face, and Marchand once again explained the misunderstanding at the time and presented the Paris Olympics mascot plush doll as a gift of apology. And Coach Zhu also showed the generosity and tolerance of the Chinese, he gave back a panda doll to Marchand, and the friendship between the two was sublimated at this moment.
Details of the interaction between the two sides
In Marchand's two apologies, the positive attitude of the coach of the France team is also worth mentioning. He not only accompanied Marchand throughout the whole process to apologize, but also came to the rest area of the Chinese team again after the first failure to inquire about Coach Zhu's itinerary, creating conditions for the two to meet again. This sincere attitude not only won the respect of the Chinese team, but also won the praise of the majority of netizens.
The parties reconciled
After this hiccup, the relationship between Marchand and Coach Zhu Zhigen was repaired. The two shook hands and took a group photo in a friendly atmosphere, which not only drew a successful end to this misunderstanding, but also showed the friendly interaction between international athletes and the timely resolution of misunderstandings.
Background and impact of the event
In fact, there is a small episode hidden behind this handshake turmoil. Before the competition, foreign media reported that if Wang Shun won the championship, he would boycott because of the abnormal drug test incident in 2021 (later confirmed to be food contamination).
But luckily Marchand's performance and the harmonious atmosphere at the awards ceremony kept none of this from happening. Although this handshake incident is a bit embarrassing, it also shows the complexity and diversity of the international sports circle.
Public reaction and public opinion
As soon as the incident was reported, it caused widespread discussion on the Internet. Netizens expressed their opinions one after another, and some praised Marchand's apology, believing that he had the courage to admit his mistakes and actively solve the problem.
Some people also expressed admiration for Coach Zhu Zhigen's tolerance, believing that he showed the generosity and demeanor of the Chinese. At the same time, many netizens said that this incident allowed them to see the human touch and the dramatic resolution process of misunderstandings in the international sports circle.