When it comes to diving, it's hard not to think of a name, that is, Guo Jingjing. She has participated in four Olympic Games, won 4 golds and 2 silvers, and created a historic record of winning the "double championship" in five consecutive World Championships, showing the world the confident beauty of Chinese athletes.
This year is the twelfth year after her retirement, after retiring, she has more new identities, and is moving forward in the new arena of her life: entering married life, continuing her studies, serving as a diving judge for the Tokyo Olympics, and actively participating in public welfare activities...
Although she has left the arena, she still keeps an eye on the development of sports in China. In her view, the "Chinese beauty" displayed by athletes is not only reflected in professional performance, but also reflected in the spirit of self-challenge and never giving up behind every event.
"Now the sports industry is developing very well, I hope that more people can see the fighting spirit behind the athletes' events, bring more positive energy, and let 'China Beauty' encourage and inspire more people." Guo Jingjing said.
Perseverance and courage Sweat the first half of life
Born in Baoding City, Hebei Province, Guo Jingjing began diving training from childhood, and began a long time with water, which lasted for more than 20 years. Looking back on the past years, Guo Jingjing sighed, "The so-called persistence is not to persist when you see hope, but to persevere to see hope." I feel that for myself, persistence is not the process of success, it is the success itself. ”
From the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, for Guo Jingjing, this is a slightly long time, although she has participated in two consecutive Olympic Games, but has not won the championship, regret and loss fill her heart. "At that time, I really had a feeling of being in vain, feeling sorry for my efforts for so many years, and sorry for my coach."
At that time, she was at the age where she could retire, and there were two completely different paths in front of her: one was to retire and become a coach to live a stable life; The second is to continue to struggle and go all out to prepare for the Athens Olympics in four years. With her love for diving, she still firmly chose the latter.
"There is only one life in life, and I don't want to leave regrets." She whispered to herself in her heart. After once again strengthening her beliefs, she has also undergone great changes in her training mentality, her eyes are no longer just focused on the desire for championships, but back to herself, find problems from herself when encountering difficulties, seriously analyze, learn the good techniques of others, and learn from each other's strengths. With the adjustment of her mentality, she gradually began to enjoy daily training, and truly understood the saying: man's biggest enemy is himself, and defeating himself is the key to success.
One minute on stage, ten years off stage. Jumping, rolling, entering the water, these are the movements that every diver practices countless times. In the face of boring training day after day, whenever Guo Jingjing has the idea of wanting to give up, she will convince herself to persevere, telling herself to grit her teeth and practice again, maybe next time she will succeed.
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, she finally ushered in her highlight moment, won two gold medals, and was striding into the "golden age" of her diving career.
Gentleness and self-discipline The second half of life sows love and hope
Winning the championship is not the final end of an athlete, and life is not only one field, she has left the diving arena and is running freely in the new arena of her life.
A career in diving over the years has also had some positive effects on her life after retiring. Guo Jingjing said that the self-discipline habits she developed during her time as an athlete have continued to this day, and she still allows herself and her family to maintain a healthy and self-disciplined lifestyle and living habits, and these good habits are subtly producing positive effects in life. In addition, her experience as an athlete has created a willingness to try. "I am willing to try big and small things in life, and when I encounter difficulties and troubles, I will not avoid them, but I am more interested in trying to overcome my fear of unknown areas, which I think is also very important for educating the next generation."
After retiring from the military, she is also actively participating in various public welfare activities, hoping to use her influence to let more people pay attention to the groups in need in society. She said that the power of one person is insignificant, but if you can influence more people around you and let everyone contribute to public welfare, then the groups in need in society can get better help.
After retiring from the military, she participated in the World Economic Forum's "Friends of Ocean Action" (FOA), calling on everyone to actively pay attention to ocean health, jointly maintain the marine ecological environment, and support the sustainable development of marine resources. As a mother of three, she is also committed to protecting children's rights and interests through her role as an ambassador for UNICEF Hong Kong. "We human beings cannot survive and develop without the ocean, and children are our future, so I hope to create a safer, better and more secure environment for our next generation to grow and develop through our deep participation in these two public welfare projects." Guo Jingjing said.
Along the way, Guo Jingjing has an indissoluble bond with water, and her personality is like water, gentle and resolute. Whether it is she who struggled the field during her athlete days, or she returned to her family and enjoyed life with her heart after retiring, she is constantly writing and expanding the definition of Chinese beauty with her own actions at every stage. In her, we see the diverse life of a retired female athlete. (Text/Li Yarong)
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