Independence, maturity, persistence - remember the "model" Wang Manyu

Xinhua News Agency, Harbin, 22 Jan (Xinhua) -- Title: Independence, Maturity, and Persistence -- Remembering the "Model" Wang Manyu

Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Junbao

Recently, the Propaganda Department of the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee awarded Wang Manyu, an athlete of the Chinese table tennis team and Olympic champion, the title of "Longjiang Model". In the months since the Tokyo Olympics, the story that has happened to the 23-year-old girl is like a condensation of her growth over the past decade.

On the evening of September 25, 2021, winning the last goal, Wang Manyu covered her face with both hands and raised two index fingers to celebrate her first National Games table tennis singles championship.

No one knows how difficult it is to win the gold medal in the table tennis competition of the National Games in China. The weight of Wang Manyu's three words suddenly became heavy in the hearts of many viewers.

That night, Heilongjiang's Wang Manyu defeated Hebei's Sun Yingsha 4-0 in the final. Previously, in the women's singles semifinals, Wang Manyu defeated national table tennis teammate Chen Meng 4:0.

Time back to the Tokyo Olympic table tennis arena more than a month before the National Games, Wang Manyu's teammate Liu Shiwen returned to the team event due to a recurrence of an elbow injury, and the Heilongjiang girl debuted as a substitute athlete.

In the star-studded Chinese table tennis team, most of everyone's attention is focused on Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha, and Wang Manyu's attention is not high.

In Tokyo, Wang Manyu made his debut and performed well in the team competition, winning the team championship with Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha and winning his first Olympic gold medal.

Almost no one expected the story of Wang Manyu, who was standing on the sidelines holding the national flag at the Tokyo Olympics, in the next few months. But his own changes, Wang Manyu knew in his heart.

"Through the Olympic Games, I obviously feel that I have a big change, the whole person has matured a lot, so I can do a good job in the National Games and know how to face the competition." She said.

Indeed, doing a good job is Wang Manyu's choice all along.

In 2004, Wang Manyu became acquainted with table tennis. In the eyes of enlightenment coach Han Liangui, Wang Manyu at that time was tall and had a very high comprehension. "Taller than children of the same age, you can go up and topple the ball."

After studying football for half a year, Wang Manyu made rapid progress. The following year, Han Liangui sent Wang Manyu to Qiqihar City Sports School for professional training, under the tutelage of CoachEs Liu Xiaodong and Lü Zhongfeng.

"Minor injuries and minor illnesses never ask for leave, and once I had a fever and insisted on training to play in the team." Lu Zhongfeng recalled that at that time, Wang Manyu himself took a bus to the table tennis field, took a break in training, ate a bite of light rice he brought from home, and continued to practice after eating.

"I don't usually like to talk much, but I have a lot of ideas in my heart", this is the common evaluation of Wang Manyu by many coaches.

In 2008, Wang Manyu won the provincial competition and was later selected to the provincial team. Her parents also decided to leave their hometown of Qiqihar and go to Harbin to accompany her to live and train. His mother was responsible for taking care of Wang Manyu's daily life, and his father supported the family's daily expenses by selling meat sandwich steamed buns on the street.

"My family conditions are not good, and it has always been my father who has done small business to support me to play. Now if I suffer a little more, I can make them a little easier. Wang Manyu said.

After entering the provincial team, Wang Manyu's performance has made great progress. He won the first place in the national competition several times and was subsequently selected for the national team.

Although after entering the national team, Wang Manyu has achieved good results in national championships, Asian Games and other competitions, but before the Tokyo Olympics, Wang Manyu did not play well in a series of competitions and was in a sluggish state. In the face of Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha, it is always more than losing and winning less, and it is even difficult to defeat these two opponents for a period of time.

From infancy to adulthood, independence, maturity and persistence have always been Wang Manyu's "protective magic weapon". This time is no exception.

Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha relied on outstanding performances to lock in the quota for the Tokyo Olympic Games early. Although he rushed to Tokyo as a substitute athlete, Wang Manyu knew that only by going all out could he live up to himself.

Adjust your mindset and actively prepare for battle. The Battle of Tokyo made Wang Manyu once again understand the importance of persistence.

In November 2021, in the women's singles final of the World Table Tennis Championships, Wang Manyu defeated teammate Sun Yingsha 4:2 to win the gold medal in the women's singles of the World Table Tennis Championships for the first time. In the semifinals, Wang Manyu also defeated Chen Meng 4:3.

After the game, Wang Manyu faced reporters more calmly than in the past. "Keep improving, keep growing, it's a very good rhythm."

Climbing through the troughs and stepping out of the difficulties, the girl knows how to look at today's achievements. "My heart is full of emotions. After so much going through, it seems like it's just beginning. All the love and dedication is worth it, keep working hard for your goals! Wang Manyu said. (End)