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In March 2022, the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government issued an eye-catching announcement of personnel changes, and one of the well-known names jumped into our eyes - Zhan Xugang, who was appointed deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau, and at the same time stepped down as the president of the Zhejiang Sports Vocational and Technical College.
This former outstanding athlete, in the past, has completed a magnificent transformation from an athlete to a deputy department-level official, and his growth and progress are amazing. However, when he recalls the defeat at Athens 2004, he still can't calm down in his heart.
It was in the 77kg weightlifting competition in 2004 that Zhan Xugang failed in three consecutive snatch attempts, and finally had no choice but to leave the competition. Faced with questions from many media reporters, he frankly expressed his feelings: "My dignity seems to be ruthlessly trampled under my feet.
"The Olympics, this stage always seems to make those veterans lose face and the celebrities are disappointed.
Although the audience did not blame him too much, for Zhan Xugang himself, this failure was undoubtedly a deep wound. He was a legend in the world of weightlifting, winning gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, writing a glorious chapter in the history of the sport with a stunning performance.
However, the trick of fate befell him not long after. The defeat at the 2004 Athens Olympics became a knot that had plagued him for many years. Since then, Zhan Xugang has chosen to fade out of the public eye and return to the life of ordinary Communist Party members.
He is not keen on social activities such as drinking and socializing, preferring to stay at home quietly and spend the weekend with his wife and children.
Since the 2004 Athens Olympics, Zhan Xu has embarked on a new career transition from athlete to manager.
In the first days of his involvement in the business world, Zhan Xugang felt extremely uncomfortable with the boring desk life and endless work pressure, and fell into a deep confusion for a while.
However, Yao Jian, Hyun-sook's wife, pointed him in the direction with wise words: "If you feel that you can't adapt to the office, why not go to the training gym to see the players who are training hard and listen to the coach's earnest teachings?
Inspired by his wife, Zhan Xugang resolutely decided to break the traditional leadership model of the sports team, and went to the subordinate training venues many times to observe and give careful guidance to the athletes.
He shuttles between various venues, especially the weightlifting hall, which has become his most frequent visit, in addition to taekwondo, judo, wrestling and other sports have never been ignored by him.
In 2006, Zhejiang Province carried out a far-reaching institutional reform, giving birth to the Zhejiang Provincial Heavy Competitive Sports Management Center. With his rich front-line work experience, Zhan Xugang is respected by everyone as the director of the center.
In April of the same year, he welcomed his baby son, and the following year, his beloved wife Yao Jian brought him a lovely little princess.
Since then, Zhan Xu has embarked on a comprehensive career transition from business to administration. In addition to managing competitive sports, he was also appointed to Sanmen County, Taizhou City, as the deputy county magistrate, responsible for justice, tourism, sports and other fields.
This is undoubtedly a huge challenge for the former elite athlete. After retiring from the army, Zhan Xugang completed his studies at Zhejiang University, but he knew that his knowledge reserve was still insufficient and he urgently needed to enrich his mind.
Now, he is about to be exposed to a new job in the fields of justice and tourism, and sitting on the podium, he feels unprecedented pressure in the face of many unknowns, so he has to embark on the road of education again.
Fortunately, with the selfless support and dedication of his virtuous wife Yao Jian, Zhan Xugang finally succeeded in achieving a gorgeous transformation from an athlete to a manager. Yao Jian not only took the initiative to take on all the housework, but also bought all kinds of books and materials for her husband on the Internet, especially those judicial books that could not be obtained online.
Having such an understanding wife is really a great blessing in Zhan Xugang's life!
Zhan Xugang, a prominent figure who straddles the fields of athletes and senior sports administrators, has a life trajectory that can be described as ups and downs and eye-catching. With years of accumulated front-line work experience, he has successively served as the director of the State Council's Heavy Competitive Sports Management Center, and the deputy county magistrate of Sanmen County, Taizhou City, the head city, and has made outstanding contributions to the development of sports in Zhejiang Province and even the whole country.
However, deep down in his heart, there was still a wound that had not yet healed. That was the defeat at the Athens Olympics. Although the audience did not blame it much, for Zhan Xugang himself, this is an indelible scar.
In order to achieve his ambition of winning gold in three consecutive Olympic Games, he had to postpone his wedding to his beloved Yao Jian, making great sacrifices on the road to sports. And when fate played tricks again, so that he failed to get his wish at the most critical moment, the pain in Zhan Xugang's heart can be imagined.
Only in 2004, after suffering a heavy blow of setback, Zhan Xugang resolutely picked up the phone and disclosed his marriage date to Yao Jian to the outside world for the first time. He was deeply aware that he had made this girl give too much precious time of her youth.
At this moment, the pressure in Zhan Xugang's heart was finally released, and he decided to dedicate his life after that to the girl who had always supported him in obscurity.
From failure to rebirth, Zhan Xu has just gone through a difficult and tortuous road of transformation. Although the defeat at the Athens Olympics once became a knot in his heart that was difficult to untie, he chose to face this dark time with a peaceful mind, and finally found a new direction in life and returned to a warm family life safely.
Zhan Xugang's encounter with Yao Jian can be traced back to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
At that time, Zhan Xugang won honor for his motherland with his amazing feat of surpassing human limits, and won the gold medal in the weightlifting 77 kg class. And in the audience, a girl with a round face and short hair was staring at him intently on the field.
This girl is Zhan Xugang's first love - Yao Jian.
As early as the Atlanta Olympics many years ago, Zhan Xugang had a glimpse of this beautiful woman in that fierce competition. And when the eyes of the two met in Sydney unexpectedly, Zhan Xugang instantly felt that his whole body was filled with endless strength, and finally successfully completed the weightlifting challenge of 207.5 kg in a shocking and breathtaking way and won the gold medal.
This is undoubtedly a beautiful marriage made in heaven. However, the trick of fate quickly befell them. In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Zhan Xugang fell short at a critical moment and had no choice but to leave the arena.
Although the Chinese weightlifting team at the time was willing to show their unwavering support for Zhan by offering Yao Jian the opportunity to watch the fight in person, they cruelly rejected her request.
For Zhan Xugang, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow. He originally expected to achieve more glory with Yao Jian's encouragement, but now the goddess of fate has chosen to turn her back on him.
Having lost the company of his beloved, Zhan Xugang was alone and under tremendous spiritual pressure.
It wasn't until 2004, after a frustrating baptism, that Zhan Xu just plucked up the courage to share with us the date of his wedding to Yao Jian over the phone. This former giant in the weightlifting world has finally made up his mind to enter the marriage hall hand in hand with the lady who has always been silently waiting by his side and giving selfless help.
Since then, Zhan Xugang has officially bid farewell to his past career as an athlete and embarked on a career transformation journey from business to administration in an all-round way. He works in the beautiful city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Provincial Sports Brigade, and Yao Jian moved with this holy place from the capital Beijing to become a full-time wife who is fully committed to her family.
Every time the husband returns home, it ushers in the beginning of a beautiful and warm moment shared by the two of them. Zhan Xugang is not overly enthusiastic about social activities, but prefers to enjoy the quiet time at home, spending weekends with his wife and children.
From a high-profile sports star to an ordinary civil servant who now enjoys a comfortable family life, Zhan Xugang's life transformation is a miracle. And all these changes come from the wonderful love story between him and Yao Jian, which can be called made in heaven.