Yinchuan, 9 Oct (Xinhua) -- 2 hours, 13 minutes and 02 seconds! At the Hangzhou Asian Games, He Jie won the first men's marathon gold medal in the history of the Asian Games of the Chinese team, which was also the first individual gold medal won by his hometown of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region since its establishment. On the 7th, accompanied by Xiao Li, the coach of the national team, he returned to Ningxia and was warmly welcomed by the people of his hometown.
"He's competed in six races this year, won six gold medals, broke a national record – you see his bright side, but you don't know how much he's suffering behind his back." Xiao Li said.
On the 7th, He Jie arrived at Yinchuan Hedong Airport and was warmly welcomed by the people of his hometown. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Sijia
"Making the impossible possible"
For the Chinese men's marathon, He Jie was a bonus.
Before 2023, He Jie was not famous. At the Wuxi Marathon in March this year, he broke the 15-year-old national record for men's marathon with a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 30 seconds. At the Hangzhou Asian Games, when he was about to reach the end, the picture of him running and laughing and looking back was frozen by history.
"After the first 35 kilometers, I told myself I was going to fight. Talking about how the North Korean player is doing on the Internet, this question is irrelevant, because I will not allow him to be in front of me, as long as he comes up, I will definitely go up. Speaking of the game, He Jie's domineering confidence was fully displayed.
Either run or make history, run out of the momentum of the Chinese - this is what He Jie unswervingly told himself.
On October 5, China's He Jie crossed the finish line first in the men's marathon final of the athletics at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Sun Fei
Xiao Li said that before the competition, many people felt that it was "absolutely impossible" to win the gold medal in this event, but she secretly hoped that because He Jie took the initiative to ask for more training and constantly refresh her personal best. "We have such a big breakthrough, it is He Jie who gave me confidence. What touched me the most was 'Coach, do it!' I dared to let go and make plans to train him. ”
"If you dare to think and do, if you dare not think, then there will be nothing." He Jie said.
Xiao Li has rich coaching experience, and the 24-year-old He Jie has the courage to forge ahead. What is even more surprising is that He Jie is far from reaching his peak state. "How old is he? He still has a lot of room for breakthrough, and it is not impossible for us to finish in the top eight at the Paris Olympics. Xiao Li commented that He Jie is good at summarizing and is growing rapidly every game.
For He Jie, "this is just the starting point."
China's He Jie (front) and North Korea's Han Rilong compete in the men's athletics marathon at the Hangzhou Asian Games on October 5. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yibo
The "barefoot boy" ran wildly all the way
The domineering confidence of the master and apprentice is not because He Jie is talented, but from his bloodiness and hard work.
Born in Hejia Village, Lingsha Township, Pingluo County, Ningxia, He Jie helped his parents do farm work since he was a child, and cultivated a down-to-earth and hard-working character. In the fifth grade of primary school, he won the 800m and 1500m championships in school competitions and was encouraged by his teacher to start amateur training. After being selected for the Ningxia team and participating in the autonomous region games, He Jie entered people's field of vision step by step.
At the age of 15, He Jie participated in the 5,000-meter race of the Autonomous Region Games, and his shoes were stepped on in the second lap. Instead of stopping, he ran barefoot for the remaining 10 laps and won a silver medal, which was carried off the track and field by his coach after the race. The next day, He Jie, who had not yet recovered from a foot injury, stood on the 10,000-meter starting line again and won another silver medal. The "barefoot boy" is bloody.
On the 7th, He Jie shared his experience with his junior brothers and sisters at the Ningxia Sports Training Management Center. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Sijia
By chance, He Jie was selected by Xiao Li as a national team sparring partner, and he saw a higher mountain: "The seniors of the national team are full of positive energy. Training with them is sometimes very tiring, but these things slowly planted a seed in my heart, that is, 'I want to win glory for my country and bring my achievements to the world stage', so I held my breath and persevered. ”
He Jie's persistence impressed Xiao Li, and the master and apprentice continued the long and boring high-intensity training in Kenya, Yunnan and other places. Sometimes the intensity is too great, and I almost vomit, but He Jie must endure it, because vomiting habits hurt the body more.
What makes Xiao Li gratifying is that He Jie is extremely self-disciplined, does not play games, and does not drink tobacco and alcohol. "He Jie has set an example for the national team players, and everyone will be more enthusiastic to train when they see him so good and working so hard." Xiao Li said.
"You don't know how your opponent trains, so you have to train with all your strength and work harder." He Jie said.
On March 19, Wuxi Marathon, He Jie crossed the finish line in the race. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Lei
"Don't set limits for yourself"
On the training ground and outside the arena, He Jie showed an optimistic and cheerful side, and his signature smile was even made into a "meme" by netizens. Because he likes to read history and philosophy books in his spare time, he has strong expression skills and a sense of humor, and often jokes with Xiao Li.
"If you get angry with me again, I won't do it."
"You go back and watch out for Alzheimer's."
When going out to compete, the master and apprentice used to go out for a walk after lunch, and He Jie often pointed to the surrounding flowers, birds and trees, and said to Xiao Li excitedly: "Coach, look, this place is so beautiful!" ”
"His heart is full of sunshine and love." Xiao Li said.
China's He Jie celebrates his victory after the Asian Games marathon on October 5. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Sun Fei
He Jie frankly said that his "love" for the motherland, his hometown, and the marathon made him insist on running, and he would rather run and collapse than exert his full strength, in order to prove that "we can do the marathon in China"; As long as he is interviewed, he will enthusiastically promote his hometown Ningxia; Fascinated by the feeling of galloping, so I never stopped...
Many people think that he will "float" after winning the gold medal, but he knows how stable his mentality is. After all, there is also Kenya's Kipchoge's back that inspires him. "You have to maintain an 'ascetic' mentality and sink yourself down to practice."
On the day of this homecoming, He Jie also ran 16 kilometers early in the morning as an "adjustment". "From the day I crossed the Wuxi finish line on March 19 and changed the Chinese marathon record, what I thought was – don't set limits for yourself, I'm going to continue to push our project to another level."