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In March 2024, the warm sun is shining and the spring is bright. Wu Na sat on the balcony of her home, closed her eyes and rested for a while, then opened her eyes and looked into the distance.
Her eyes revealed a little vicissitudes and emotion.
Today, Wu Na is 57 years old, her hair is slightly pale, and there are some traces of time between her eyebrows. But her expression is still resolute and resolute, exuding a unique feminine charm and temperament.
Looking back, her life can be described as ups and downs, but it is also gorgeous and colorful, full of countless glories and legends.
When she was young, Wu Na was a table tennis legend known as the "Queen of Power", and once climbed to the pinnacle of the world ranking sixth. The glorious achievements of those years are still vivid and shining today: in 1996, she won the women's singles championship at the 13th Asian Cup Table Tennis Tournament held in New Delhi, India; At the 1997 World Table Tennis Championships in Manchester, she teamed up with teammate Liu Guoliang to win the mixed doubles event, also ranking third in the world.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is today. At this moment, Wu Na set her eyes into the distance, seeing her only son Shang Juncheng gradually emerging on the tennis court.
The young man, once regarded as a "rising star in tennis", has now stunned the world by reaching the semi-finals of the men's singles at the Hong Kong Open in February 2024.
Thinking of her son's dedication and progress, Wu Na's mother's love is surging in her chest, and her longing for her son's future is even stronger. She knows very well that her son has paid too much hard work and sweat for today's achievements.
And she and her husband Shang Yi have also experienced countless hardships and challenges in order to support their son in chasing his tennis dream.
Career starts
To trace Wu Na's table tennis career, we have to talk about her difficult upbringing. She was born in January 1974 in an ordinary family in Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province.
Although parents Wu Likang and Sima Guojing have no chance to play sports, the young Wu Na has her own talent.
At the age of 7, Wu Na received her first table tennis training at Zhenjiang Sports School. At the beginning, the arduous training really made her feel very difficult, and even had the idea of escaping several times.
But she gritted her teeth and persevered, and with sweat and tears, she gradually fell in love with the sport.
Wu Na is like a flat boat, riding the wind and waves, and has her own achievements in the ocean of table tennis. Thanks to her innate talent and hard work, she was selected for the national youth team at a young age, showing the potential to be a champion.
In 1987, at the age of 13, Wu Na won the key training of the youth team of the national table tennis team. Head coach Yao Guozhi praised this quick-thinking and decisive ball-throwing girl, regarded her as a bright rising star, and wholeheartedly provided her with cultivation.
At a young age, she has already won the top prizes at home and abroad, and has shown extraordinary strength: in 1988, she made her debut for the national team, winning the Women's Doubles title at the Japan Open; In 1989, she swept the women's singles, doubles and team championships at the Asian Junior Championships...... Her excellent results led to her joining the national team in 1990 at the age of 15.
Once on the stage of the national team, Wu Na showed her fighting spirit and perseverance, and gradually showed her edge on the field. She defeated Qiao Yunping, Deng Yaping, Chen Jing and many other world-class champions, and her strength was highly recognized.
In the 1993 National Games, she won the women's doubles championship with her teammates; The following year, he helped the team win the women's team championship at the World Youth Championships, and in the same year, she also won the women's doubles gold medal at the Italian Open.
Career
Once upon a time, Wu Na was the "powerful queen" in the table tennis arena. But at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, at the peak of her athletic career, Wu Na was unable to participate in person, which became the biggest regret and knot in her life.
In the years that followed, she gradually retired from the national team. But for table tennis, she will always have a fiery and uncomplaining love and affection.
In 2002, Wu Na left the Jiangsu table tennis team and went to East China University of Science and Technology for further study. However, when representing the school in the Table Tennis Super League, she still went all out, worked hard, and showed an indomitable fighting spirit.
After retiring, Wu Na chose to return to her hometown of Jiangsu, and in 2012, she founded her own table tennis club. This is an important stage for her to pass on her lifelong learning and coaching experience to future generations.
Unfortunately, at the beginning of its opening, the club encountered many difficulties and obstacles. Factors such as lack of capital investment and lack of management experience have made it difficult for the club to operate and the future is bleak.
But as a legend in the table tennis world, Wu Na is not discouraged. She is unswerving, tenacious, and determined to make the club bigger and stronger. She took the initiative to cooperate with Yizhuang No. 1 Middle School to design a variety of training courses for students to meet the needs of students at different levels.
Although the club's career prospects are bright, it still needs more effort and sweat for Wu Na to truly take off. In the face of all this, she has a firm belief and determination, and will never give up halfway.
Love story
Outside the table tennis court, Wu Na's life is by no means smooth. But it is precisely because of the support and encouragement of her husband Shang Yi that she was able to overcome difficulties one by one and finally realize her self-worth.
The chance encounter in 1998 destined the lives of Wu Na and Shang Yi to be intertwined forever. At that time, the World Cup in France was in full swing.
Shang Yi, an international player at the time, came to the General Administration of Sports to go through some formalities, while Wu Na came to dine. On this ordinary day, a coincidence set their spark on fire.
After the two met by chance, they found that they both had a fanatical love for football, so they unconsciously started an intimate conversation, and the conversation box opened as if they had traveled through time and space, and between the verbal battles, they seemed to be old friends who had known each other for a long time.
Although Wu Na is 5 years older than Shang Yi, her heroic appearance as an athlete still makes this young and handsome football star fall in love at first sight. So, Shang Yi took the initiative to launch a passionate pursuit, and sincerely said to Wu Na: "Sincere love is not limited by age, in my eyes, you are still beautiful and moving!" These heartfelt words dissolved the mustard in Wu Na's heart and touched her heart.
The "sister-brother love" between the two was strongly opposed by the parents of both sides. They worry that the age disparity will bring estrangement to the relationship, and question whether Shang Yi can really accept Wu Na, who is older than him, in the future.
In order to resolve the doubts of his family, Shang Yi personally visited the Wu family's parents, showing his ability to take care of himself independently, and sincerely told his sincere love for Wu Na.
He said firmly: "Although I am younger than Wu Na, my inner world is mature enough, and I will use my actions to give Wu Na a happy and happy life."
Shang Yi's sincere attitude again and again finally touched the Wu family, and their love was finally recognized. Since 1999, the two have officially entered each other's lives.
In order to stay together, Shang Yi resolutely ended his contract with a Spanish club in 2003 and returned to Beijing to reunite with his wife. On August 19 of the same year, they got married in Beijing and started a new chapter in their lives.
Due to the tight schedule, the two did not hold a grand wedding in time. Soon after, Wu Na also put her studies on hold and went to Spain with her husband.
Giving birth to an only child
In the winter of 2004, Wu Na, who was pregnant with Liujia, returned to her hometown in Beijing. On February 2 of the following year, after a caesarean section, the loving couple ushered in the crystallization of their love - the arrival of their son Shang Juncheng, bringing new vitality to this happy family.
In order to take better care of his family, her husband Shang Yi made a major decision, that is, not to renew the contract with the Spanish club, and resolutely chose to return to the familiar land of Beijing, the motherland, and the family settled down in the post-modern city of Chaoyang District.
Although the life of a family of three is poor, they are happy. As time went on, the family soon ushered in a new change - they moved to Yizhuang, Daxing District, and purchased a new home of more than 150 square meters.
The little Shang Juncheng has shown extraordinary athletic talent since he was a child, which makes Wu Na full of infinite hope and expectation that her son can become an excellent table tennis player in the future.
Contrary to expectations, Shang Juncheng did not have much interest and love for the sport of table tennis.
On the contrary, Shang Juncheng has a soft spot for tennis, which undoubtedly makes his father, Shang Yi, a football player, feel extremely happy. Naturally, he also hopes that his son can be like himself and be able to show his skills on the football field in the future.
In this regard, Wu Na and her husband had an in-depth discussion and deliberation. In the end, the two reached a consensus and decided to support Shang Juncheng's tennis dream and let him participate in professional training in tennis.
This decision is destined for Shang Juncheng's future life to embark on a completely different sports path. For Wu Na and Shang Yi, the parents, it will undoubtedly be a new life journey, which is destined to be full of hardships and challenges.