In the early morning of July 19, Xu Guoyi, a famous Chinese swimming coach, died of illness in Beijing at the age of 50. In the past 26 years of coaching, he has trained many famous swimmers such as Ye Shiwen, Xu Jiayu, Chen Huijia, Li Zhuhao and so on.
< h3 class="Main-article-Title" > the Chinese Swimming Association issued a tribute</h3>
The Chinese Swimming Association issued a document expressing deep condolences.
The Chinese Swimming Association said that Xu Guoyi died in Beijing at 4:09 a.m. on the 19th due to illness. Originally from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Xu Guoyi began working as a swimming coach in 1994. In the past 26 years of coaching, he has trained many famous swimmers such as Ye Shiwen, Xu Jiayu, Chen Huijia, Li Zhuhao and so on. Athlete Ye Shiwen won two gold medals in the women's 200m individual medley and the women's 400m individual medley at the 2012 London Olympics, setting a world record; Xu Jiayu won a silver medal in the men's 100m backstroke at the 2016 Rio Olympics and gold medals in the men's 100m backstroke at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
The Chinese Swimming Association said: "Solid foundation, technology is king, details win, throughout his entire coaching career, he is good at research, dare to innovate, never tired of business." Coach Xu Guoyi has made significant contributions to the development of Chinese swimming and set an immortal monument to the cause of Chinese swimming. ”
"He dedicated his best years to swimming." Dedication to Chinese swimming is my job, and all the hard work is worth it and is willing. Coach Xu Guoyi said this and did the same. ”
On December 10, 2018, Xu Guoyi spoke at the Gold Medal Coach Workshop of the 5th FINA World Water Sports Conference held in Hangzhou.
<h3 class="Main-article-Title" > "Five years ago, I took him to his hospital room. Now I'm going to send him to heaven..."</h3>
"Five years ago, I sent him to the ward. Now, I want to send him to heaven..." On the other end of the phone, Zhang Yadong, deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau and former head coach of the Chinese swimming team, had long been unable to cry.
Zhang Yadong is six years old, Xu Guoyi, and in his words, they are "brothers who play together from childhood to adulthood." In his view, Xu Guoyi is a friend who is both cheerful and generous, and at the same time very wise.
Zhang Yadong recalled that when they first became coaches, Bao Yugang Swimming Pool needed two professional swimmers as lifeguards. After the swimming pool contacted him, he called Xu Guoyi. Xu Guoyi didn't ask much and immediately agreed. So, after training every day, the two rode their bicycles to become lifeguards. Except for a night when there were many people, the swimming pool was particularly effective, and the two people took 20 yuan in rewards, which was usually pure voluntary labor.
"All summer, after we finished training every day, we went to the swimming pool, and we didn't expect anything in return, so I asked him to help, and he went." Zhang Yadong said.
In 2015, Xu Guoyi was found to have a tumor in his brain and needed surgery. Before going to the operating table, in order to ease Xu Guoyi's inner tension, Zhang Yadong quipped to him at the elevator entrance: "You also have times when you are afraid, don't be nervous, it's okay." In Zhang Yadong's memory, whether in training or in life, no matter how big the difficulties encountered, the little brother in front of him has never been afraid and flinched.
The operation was successful, but the doctor also told Zhang Yadong that with this disease, the average person could not last for three years. "At that time, I also talked to his attending doctor, there is no problem with the operation, but whether the follow-up will recur or not depends entirely on the destiny."
As the helmsman of Zhejiang swimming, Zhang Yadong hopes that Xu Guoyi can return to the pool as soon as possible, but as a friend, he hopes that Xu Guoyi can rest in peace. "During that time, I didn't dare to say anything more, let him stay at home every day, it was definitely not OK, mainly because I was afraid that he would have psychological pressure." After much thought, Xu Guoyi got the chance to return to the pool, but only if he didn't overwork.
In this way, Xu Guoyi, who had just completed the operation for only 5 months and still had clear scars on his head, returned to the team and threw himself into the tense preparations for the Rio Olympic Games. For his choice, Xu Guoyi once said: "I want to be worthy of my athletes, or I will not do it, since I am standing by the pool, I will do my best." ”
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Xu Jiayu won the silver medal in the men's 100-meter backstroke competition, achieving a breakthrough of zero medals in the Chinese men's backstroke at the Olympic Games. Worthy of the team, Xu Guoyi did it, and the only thing he did not do was to be worthy of himself.
"For coaches, fatigue is often not physical, but mental." Losing his best friend, Zhang Yadong also blamed himself, if he had let him completely stay away from the pool, the result would not have been better.
< h3 class= "Main-article-Title" > people's lives are burning</h3>
"If it hadn't been for so much pressure, maybe his illness wouldn't have recurred..."
At the 2017 World Swimming Championships in Budapest, after Xu Jiayu won China's first men's backstroke title at the World Championships, he couldn't wait to run to Xu Guoyi's side and hang the gold medal around his neck.
"Although he is very strict with the players in training and the requirements are also very strict, in life, he cares for them meticulously. Everyone was very impressed with him, because they knew that there was hope for following him. Zhang Yadong said that the team members led by Xu Guoyi, everyone is very sunny.
At last year's Gwangju Swimming World Championships, Xu Guoyi originally planned to go with the team members, but at that time he was already unable to do so. "I went to the training gym by wheelchair." Zhang Yadong said that in the years of battling the disease, his love for swimming has been consistent.
"A person is an energy source, and a person's life is burning, which is the full release of energy." The energy should be exerted, and the fuller it burns, the better. Xu Guoyi once read Wang Meng's "Life is Burning" in a program, and he said that he dedicated this text to children who love the cause of swimming, but every word also interpreted his own creed. Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhou Xin Xia Liang