(Observer Network News)
She is a 34-year-old veteran and the first female athlete in the history of taekwondo in the world to qualify for the Olympic Games for four consecutive years, representing China twice to the top of the Olympic Games.
She is also a mother, after folding in Rio in 2016, she once retired and gave birth to a daughter, but later overcame hardships to return to the field, just for the pursuit and passion of the Olympics in her heart.
"I'm probably going to say goodbye to this arena." On July 24, after losing again in taekwondo at the Tokyo Olympics, Wu Jingyu smiled at the camera with tears in her eyes. The next day, she wrote on her personal social media: "My game is over, and Taekwondo in China has just begun."
After the game, Wu Jingyu's old friend, IOC President Bach, came to the sidelines to visit her for the first time. Bach said: "Wu Jingyu is a great athlete and an excellent mother. ”
Bach (right) visited Wu Jingyu yesterday
According to the China News Network, Bach also gave Wu Jingyu a gift to his daughter.
Wu Jingyu said, "My daughter's English name Gloria was given by President Bach. He told me today that everyone expects me to get a medal and wait until my children grow up to participate in the Olympics and get a medal. ”
Regarding the evaluation of "great athletes", Wu Jingyu said: "Chairman Bach can give me such a high evaluation, which is also a recognition of me. ”
Wu Jingyu and IOC President Bach are very good friends. Wu Jingyu's husband, Hou Kun, once mentioned to the media that every year Bach would travel to China to visit them. When their daughter was one month old, Bach also visited the Wu family and brought some Olympic souvenirs to the baby.
In fact, after Wu Jingyu lost the Rio Olympics, she retired, but Bach encouraged her to return to the field and accept the challenge of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Bach visits Wu Jingyu's family
On July 24, in the first round of the Women's 49 kg taekwondo competition at the Tokyo Olympics, Wu Jingyu easily defeated the refugee delegation's Dina Pueryounes 24:3 in just two sets to advance. However, in the quarter-finals that followed, Wu Jingyu faced the 17-year-old Spanish teenager Serezzo, but did not find the rhythm of the game, losing the game by a score of 2:33 and missing the final four.
In the re-election match that followed, she faced her old rival, serbian Bogdanovic. Five years ago in Rio, it was the youngster, who was not yet 17 years old, who blocked her from the final four. She took a 5-0 lead in the first set, but then Wu Jingyu's body looked slowly and somewhat overwhelmed, and she was overtaken by her opponent, and finally lost 9:12.
In the post-match interview of CCTV, Wu Jingyu smiled and used the word "helpless" to describe the loss just now.
"I'm really clear about their tactics, but it's going to be a bit difficult to implement. It may be that it is really old and physically not going. The game was played quite helplessly, obviously saw the opportunity, but just couldn't go up. Wu Jingyu said, "If I were young, I would have beaten them." ”
On the 24th, Wu Jingyu smiled and accepted an interview with CCTV after the game, with tears in her eyes
On the 25th, Wu Jingyu sent a Weibo to thank everyone for their companionship and support.
She said, "Dear friends, I sincerely thank you for your companionship and support for the past 20 years! I have almost seen everyone's messages and private messages, although I have not replied to them one by one, but I have kept them in mind. My competition at the Tokyo Olympics was over, and although I regret not being on the top podium, my experience is the most valuable asset. Trying to do something is either getting it or learning it. I am grateful for the cultivation of the motherland and for all those who have supported me and paid attention to me. The Olympic spirit will accompany me all my life, "it is not about others, only about surpassing myself". My game is over, but the Chinese taekwondo game has just begun, cheer for them (them). Stronger together. Thank you again for your love for me! ”
Yu Jia, a well-known sports commentator on CCTV, encouraged under her Weibo, "Exceptional! Great sportsman! Come on, the future is more exciting! ”
"I will not be reconciled"
In 2008, in Beijing, the fledgling Wu Jingyu successfully won the gold medal in the first Olympic journey. At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Wu Jingyu was invincible and successfully defended her title.
The Olympic triple crown is unprecedented in the history of taekwondo.
In 2016, in order to break this history, as the leader of China's taekwondo at that time, Wu Jingyu began to launch a third impact on the Olympic gold medal in Rio.
However, with the increase of age, the increase of injuries, coupled with the unimaginable psychological pressure of ordinary people, Wu Jingyu unexpectedly lost and was out early.
Her teammate Zheng Shuyin draped her with a bath towel after the game, and she immediately covered her face and cried, and her shoulders were shaking. "The old man is in pain," Zheng Shuyin said.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Wu Jingyu covered her face and cried after losing.
"I may never have another chance," said the defeated Wu Jingyu choking.
Wu Jingyu said that she wanted to take this card too much, and several nights after the game, closing her eyes was the scene of losing the game, and then she chose to fade out of the game.
In the summer of 2017, Wu Jingyu gave birth to a daughter.
However, she has always had the belief in returning to taekwondo and the desire to participate in the Olympics. It was these dreams that supported her to the field of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Wu Jingyu later said that if he chose to give up before, "I will not be reconciled." ”
"I just want to be a different Wu Jingyu"
While preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, wu Jingyu, who returned, fell directly on the field after the end of the intensive training. To block the bleeding, she wore pressure bands around her legs to prolong her high-intensity training.
Wu Jingyu, who collapsed on the ground tired after high-intensity training
"A lot of people tell me, you suffer this, but you don't get anything, what are you for?" But what I want to tell my daughter most is not to measure the value of anything, if you like it, if you want it, then you do it, and you will definitely gain. Don't do it for what others say or get, just think it's worth it. ”
When Wu Jingyu said this, she was extremely firm. "I have grades, I don't need to prove anything more. I just want to do a career for my motherland from the bottom of my heart, and this career is very glorious, and I can feel a kind of energy in the process. ”
"This energy represents a passion, a love, a reluctance." Guan Jianmin, head coach of the Chinese taekwondo team, said, "Where does the reluctance in her heart come from?" On the training ground. ”
Now Wu Jingyu's understanding of the Olympic spirit is that it is not about others, only about challenging yourself. "I just want to be a different Wu Jingyu."
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the fledgling Wu Jingyu made a splash and won the gold medal
In addition to winning two Olympic gold medals, as a 34-year-old mother-level athlete, Wu Jingyu has also won the gold medal of her life.
Yesterday (24th), Wu Jingyu, who walked off the taekwondo platform after losing, said, "With my persistence and belief, I am still very proud to be able to do one thing (taekwondo) to make myself feel okay." She also mentioned, "In the future, I will still devote myself to the taekwondo career, but starting today, I can change my role." ”
Instead of hiding her face and crying like she did after the defeat at the Rio Olympics, she smiled firmly, albeit with tears in her eyes.
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