For a professional athlete, winning a championship is the highest honor, but it also means a great reward. This is vividly demonstrated by the Chinese table tennis team.
In the just-concluded 2023 Macau World Cup Table Tennis Tournament, the Chinese delegation once again won the men's and women's singles championships, with a total prize fund of 2.25 million yuan. Among them, the total income of Ma Long, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu and Lin Gaoyuan exceeded 1.4 million yuan. Even the lowest ranked athlete can get a prize of 50,000 yuan. This can be described as a staggering "bonus".
So, what is it that makes the Chinese table tennis team win such a huge prize money in the world's competitions, and how does it achieve the top of the world's top competitions again and again? With these questions, let's explore the secrets behind this "Golden Belt Army".
If you want to talk about the dominance of the Chinese table tennis team in the world competition, it has to start from the end of the last century.
In 1988, at the Seoul Olympic Games, the Chinese table tennis team won the gold medal in men's and women's singles, setting off a "table tennis revolution" that caused a sensation around the world. In the following years, Chinese players reached the top again and again in the World Table Tennis Championships and became a well-deserved "table tennis hegemon".
This dominance continued into the early 21st century. In 2001, the International Table Tennis Federation officially included table tennis in the Olympic Games, which undoubtedly brought great glory to the Chinese table tennis team. Since then, Chinese players have achieved great results and have never missed in the Olympic Games and World Championships.
With the addition of championship titles, the Chinese table tennis team has gradually accumulated more and more points and bonuses. Today, they occupy an absolute advantage in the world table tennis rankings, and it can be said that they deserve to be the "golden belt" army.
And this kind of good results of winning championships year after year has also allowed the Chinese table tennis team to get rich bonus returns in world competitions. Taking the Macau World Cup as an example, the Chinese delegation won a total prize of 2.25 million yuan, accounting for one-third of the entire prize pool. This is a lot of "loot".
But this is not accidental, but the inevitable result of years of development and accumulation of Chinese table tennis. Since the 80s of the last century, China has listed table tennis as a national key development project, and has given strong support in talent training and scientific and technological investment.
It is in this context that generations of Chinese table tennis players have stood out and won championship trophies on the world stage again and again. Their outstanding performance has not only allowed Chinese table tennis to enjoy a high status in the world, but also won rich economic rewards for themselves.
However, behind the "golden belt" of the Chinese table tennis team, there are also some unknown undercurrents.
The first is the intensity of internal competition. As we all know, China's table tennis is strong and has produced many talents. But it also means that every player must be at the highest level at all times in order to stand out in the fierce internal competition.
This requires a lot of effort and sacrifice from the players. In addition to the intense training on a daily basis, they also need to be in the best shape at all times to cope with unexpected challenges. This kind of high-pressure life undoubtedly brings a huge burden to the body and mind of every player.
The second is the lure that comes with high bonuses. As we mentioned earlier, the Chinese table tennis team has a huge return on prize money in world events. But it also means that the risk of using these bonuses to make all kinds of "shady transactions" is greatly increased.
Some players may unscrupulously collude or violate the rules in order to get more bonuses. This will not only destroy the original level playing field, but also may jeopardize the healthy development of the entire sports industry.
Again, it's a double-edged sword of social attention. As the country's "golden business card", the Chinese table tennis team has undoubtedly attracted the attention and expectations of all walks of life. But it also brings huge public opinion pressure and moral scrutiny to each player.
Any misconduct can quickly cause a storm of public opinion and seriously impact the player's reputation and personal image. This will not only cause irreparable damage to the players themselves, but may also have a negative impact on the sport as a whole.
Therefore, behind this "golden belt" army, it is not a smooth road. Instead, they'll need to maintain their integrity and focus amid layers of pressure and temptation in order to emerge victorious on the Ring. This is undoubtedly a test of each player's willpower and professionalism.
Although the Chinese table tennis team dominates the world stage, it does not mean that they will always be able to reach the top.
In recent years, with the continuous development of table tennis in various countries, some rising stars have gradually risen and begun to pose a challenge to the Chinese table tennis team.
Taking the Macau World Cup as an example, we can see the rise of some new forces. In the men's singles final, Ma Long finally defeated Lin Gaoyuan and won the championship. But this bout undoubtedly showed the quality of Lin Gaoyuan, who has developed into a formidable opponent.
Looking at the women's singles final, although Sun Yingsha won the championship, her opponent Wang Manyu was also extraordinary, and she was only one step away from reaching the top. This also shows that some rookies are constantly catching up, trying to become the next table tennis superstar.
Since the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Chinese table tennis team has faced strong challenges from all over the world. Table tennis in Japan, South Korea, Germany and other countries and regions has developed rapidly, and the strength of the players is getting stronger and stronger, constantly approaching or even surpassing Chinese players.
This has undoubtedly put tremendous pressure on the Chinese table tennis team. In the past, they could easily win the World Series, but now they have to compete against a lot of tough opponents. This not only tests the strength of Chinese players, but also requires them to maintain full fighting spirit and best condition at all times.
But this is also the driving force for the continuous progress of China's table tennis industry. In the face of strong opponents, the Chinese team must continue to improve its own strength and make all-round innovations and breakthroughs in all aspects. This not only puts pressure on the players in training and games, but also promotes the continuous optimization and improvement of the entire system.
For example, the Chinese table tennis team has been constantly reforming and innovating in the application of science and technology, data analysis, psychological training, etc., and strives to cultivate more comprehensive champion-level players. They also focus on identifying the next generation of athletes to prepare them for the future.
These efforts are undoubtedly beginning to bear fruit. We have seen in this Macau World Cup that some rising stars such as Lin Gaoyuan and Wang Manyu have emerged, and have shown strength comparable to Ma Long, Sun Yingsha and other grandmasters. This once again shows that Chinese table tennis is cultivating a group of more outstanding successors.
In this context, the future development of the Chinese table tennis team is full of challenges, but at the same time, it also contains unlimited potential. As long as they continue to maintain their determination and fighting spirit, and constantly improve their own strength, I believe that they will continue to lead the trend of world table tennis and create new brilliance on a higher stage.
After all, behind this "Golden Belt" legion, there is not only a glorious history and a solid foundation, but also a high fighting spirit and endless motivation. As long as they keep their eyes on the goal and work hard, I believe that they will be able to achieve better results in the future competitions and win glory for the country!