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In September 2022, we witnessed an important moment: Mr. Zhan Xugang, a long-retired Olympic weightlifting champion, dressed up to attend the "Top 10 Sports" award ceremony held in Zhejiang Province, which is undoubtedly a major event for him to regain widespread attention and once again be active in the public eye.
On this special occasion, when he saw the outstanding performance of his proud protégé and win the "Best Male Athlete Award", his inner emotions were really indescribable. Very emotional.
Shi Zhiyong has been as dazzling as the sun, taking over the torch of Zhan Xugang and Chen Yanqing, and becoming the third Chinese weightlifter to win the world championship in a row. Watching his protégé inherit his mantle, Zhan Xugang's heart was full of pride, as if he had relived the bloody years when he fought the field.
Recalling the glory of his 22-year-old years, Zhan Xugang still remembers it vividly. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, he won the gold medal in one fell swoop with unparalleled strength, and set three new world records, becoming a well-deserved national hero.
The whole country praised this young and old Olympic warrior.
The glory at that moment was like yesterday, and now Zhan Xugang is already a person with a completely different status. Over time, he has successfully transformed from a champion athlete to the deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau, holding an important position and shouldering the important responsibility of inheriting the spirit of Chinese sports.
Although today's status is very different from the past, Zhan Xugang's enthusiasm for sports has always been the same. As his relatives and friends said, his love and dedication to sports are deeply rooted in his bones, and even if he retires and transforms, he will never be erased.
This unswerving determination is a powerful driving force that supports him all the way forward.
Zhan's athletic career is legendary, having become a sought-after sports superstar at Atlanta 1996, winning gold medals and breaking three world records.
It was on that flight trip back to China that he formed an indissoluble bond with his beloved, the beautiful flight attendant Yao Jian.
At that time, Yao Jian served as a crew member in the value cabin. She can often see Zhan Xugang's heroic figure from the TV broadcast, but she never expected that this national hero would be on the flight she served.
For a moment, Yao Jian was both surprised and excited, and out of admiration, she mustered up the courage to step forward and ask Zhan Xugang to leave a precious souvenir on the crew log.
Zhan Xugang obviously didn't expect that there would be a chance to be recognized in the small space of the plane, and he was slightly flustered for a while. However, when he saw Yao Jian's sincere expression, he finally smiled back gently, and then seriously left his signature in the diary.
It is such a simple action that connects the thread of fate between the two people.
After many repetitions, Yao Jian and Zhan Xugang finally made up their minds to love each other. As a boyfriend, Yao Jian naturally became Zhan Xugang's strongest backing on the field.
And Zhan Xugang's coach Wang Guoxin also fully supports this relationship and gives deep blessings, seeing it as a strong motivation to inspire Zhan Xugang to move forward on the field.
However, due to the characteristics of their respective professions, the time spent together always seems so short and precious. As a stewardess, Yao Jian travels all year round at home and abroad, while Zhan Xugang, as an athlete, needs to insist on high-intensity training for a long time.
The time between them often exceeds the days of intimacy.
Despite all the difficulties, their relationship has always been unwavering. On the contrary, each brief reunion makes them miss and love each other more deeply.
At a moment full of joy, Zhan Xugang sincerely promised Yao Jian his marriage vows: "As long as I can win three gold medals in a row at the Olympic Games, we can walk into the palace of marriage hand in hand."
This agreement of the "three crowns" is like a beacon that illuminates the road of hope in Yao Jian's heart. She knew Zhan Xugang's persistent pursuit of the Olympic cause, and was full of 100% trust and support for his determination and perseverance, so she accepted this unique marriage contract without hesitation.
The 2000 Sydney Olympics was of extraordinary significance to Zhan Xugang. This is a crucial moment when he is only one step away from the "Triple Crown" engagement. In order to fulfill his promise to Yao Jian, he put in extraordinary efforts before the competition, and conducted a closed training camp that lasted for several months, striving to be the best he could be.
However, in the face of huge pressure, Zhan Xugang's competitive state has never met expectations. During training, he often felt overwhelmed and struggled to show his true level.
Just when Zhan Xu was just confused, a familiar force quietly poured into the depths of his heart, and it turned out that Yao Jian, who was thousands of miles away, was also silently cheering for him.
In order to witness the strong strength shown by Zhan Xugang in this event, Yao Jian resolutely decided to change the flight plan that had been made long ago and flew to Sydney, the capital of Australia, to cheer for the hero in his heart and provide him with endless spiritual support.
Originally, Yao Jian planned to bring Zhan Xugang an unexpected surprise after this victory, but he didn't expect this "surprise" to be inadvertently known in advance by Zhan Xugang, who had no distractions.
Just as the fierce competition was about to kick off, Zhan Xu was just sitting in the audience when he suddenly caught a glimpse of that familiar face and was immediately surprised.
Just as Zhan Xu was just confused by this sudden surprise, Yao Jian cast a mysterious look at him, as if he was conveying some kind of inspiring message in a silent way.
Zhan Xu suddenly realized that this deep friendship from his beloved made his whole body full of unprecedented fighting passion and enthusiasm.
A magical power burned in his body, and Zhan Xugang seemed to have found a new source of life, releasing the results of his long-term training in one fell swoop.
At this moment, the whole arena was thunderous, and Zhan Xugang was excited in his heart. After the game, he finally understood the deep meaning behind Yao Jian's "surprise", and Zhan Xugang was deeply moved and cherished this deep emotion.
Since then, he has strengthened his belief and is determined to do everything in his power to achieve the ambitious goal of the "Triple Crown".
After the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Zhan Xugang has successfully achieved two feats in the "Triple Crown" vow, and is only one step away from his ultimate dream. However, the god of fate seemed to play a cruel joke, and four years later at the Athens Olympics, Zhan Xugang fell into a slump and failed to win another gold medal as he had done in the past.
This was undoubtedly a major setback in his life's path. After the defeat, Zhan Xugang painfully realized that his athletic career may be coming to an end. As an outstanding Olympian, at the age of 30, he has already entered the stage of "old age", and the glory moments of the past may never be repeated.
Although the last vow could not be fulfilled, Zhan Xugang did not give up his determination to propose to Yao Jian. In his eyes, true love is the ultimate pursuit of life, far more than the glory and value of winning an Olympic gold medal.
So, Zhan Xu just dialed Yao Jian's phone and solemnly proposed to her: "My dear, let us enter the sacred hall of marriage together!" Recalling this long waiting years, Yao Jian has been looking forward to it for eight years.
Ever since the relationship was officially confirmed, she has been looking forward to the day when she will marry him, a man full of passion and energy.
On the phone at this moment, when Zhan Xugang's affectionate and moving marriage proposal words came into his ears, Yao Jian couldn't help but burst into tears, and his heart was full of emotion. As a conscientious stewardess, she has always unswervingly supported her lover's ideals and pursuits behind her back.
Finally, she is about to enter the palace of marriage with the former Olympic champion, fulfilling her long-held dream.
So, at that beautiful moment in 2005, the two of them officially became husband and wife, ending an eight-year journey of sweet love. Although Zhan Xugang can no longer stand on the podium, the relationship between them has been sublimated into the purest love, which is more precious than any medal.
Soon after marriage, Zhan Xugang was honored to be promoted to father. Every time he stared at his son's big eyes full of spirituality, a strong sense of fatherly love would rise.
The arrival of his son undoubtedly brought endless warmth and laughter to this new family.
However, happiness is always short-lived, and as his career flourishes, Zhan Xugang has to be separated from his wife and children in distant Hangzhou. Although he should have been congratulated for his attainment of such an important position, deep down he could not truly feel joy and joy, and the pain of leaving home haunted his heart.
After retiring, Zhan Xugang's life has undergone earth-shaking changes. As an athlete, he devoted himself to training and competing, and his life was simple and regular.
However, after transitioning into a coach and sports official, he had to face a completely new working environment and challenges.
The first is a dramatic shift in the nature of work. When he was an athlete, Zhan Xugang only had to train hard in the gymnasium every day. Now, however, he not only has to spend time in a mountain of papers, but he also has to participate in various social events frequently.
For a child of a sports family who has always been simple, this is undoubtedly a severe test.
Initially, Zhan Xugang was often at a loss for paperwork. He once confessed that due to the limited amount of reading he had as a child, many times he had to understand the content of the Kumon word by word, lest he make mistakes or omissions due to negligence.
He put in countless efforts to adapt to this new office life.
In addition to the dramatic change in the nature of work, the more serious challenges arise from the realities of long-term separation from family. In 2015, Mr. Zhan Xugang was invited to serve as the deputy county magistrate of Sanmen County, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, with his outstanding talent and outstanding performance, a noble position that he is undoubtedly proud of, however, it also means that he must leave his wife and children for a while, and cannot enjoy the warmth of family.
Mr. Zhan Xugang has always adhered to a deep family concept, and his deep longing for his relatives is overflowing. He was deeply distressed because he had to be separated from his family for a long time, and could only see each other briefly every Sunday.
He was already rarely given the opportunity to spend time with his family during his career as an athlete, but now it has become even more unattainable, which fills his heart with grief.
However, despite such a difficult situation, Mr. Zhan Xugang has never wavered in his determination to contribute to his family, let alone give up the opportunity to develop his career. On the contrary, he devotes himself to his work, hoping to make more contributions to the sports cause of his country.
During his tenure as the deputy county magistrate of Sanmen County, he actively introduced and cultivated his protégé Shi Zhiyong, personally took full charge of his training and guidance, and looked forward to building him into a rising star in the field of weightlifting.
In the end, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Shi Zhiyong lived up to expectations and won a precious gold medal for the country, which made Mr. Zhan Xugang feel extremely pleased and proud.
At that moment, he seemed to see himself when he was young, sweating on the field and fighting hard in Shi Zhiyong's perfect inheritance. And Shi Zhiyong did live up to his master's high expectations, and he became the third Chinese weightlifter to win the title of world champion after Chen Yanqing and Zhan Xugang.
In the face of all this, Mr. Zhan Xugang was full of emotion: "At that time, I knew that I had the responsibility to contribute to this great cause. Otherwise, I'm afraid I will be left with endless regrets."
Time is like an arrow, time is like a shuttle, and in a blink of an eye, 2022 has come. After years of hard work and struggle, Mr. Zhan Xugang has witnessed the rise of batch after batch of new stars, and has also personally experienced the brilliant achievements of Chinese athletes in international competitions.
Today, the former Olympic hero has been promoted to deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau, transforming from an athlete to a sports official and administrator, and continues to contribute wisdom and strength to the prosperity and development of China's sports industry.
Although his identity and role have changed, Zhan Xugang's unrepentant and unwavering enthusiasm and dedication to sports have never wavered in the slightest. As his family and friends said, his deep love for sports seems to have been imprinted in the marrow of this great man, and no matter what the circumstances, he cannot be separated from him.
Back in September 2022, at the "Top Ten Sports" award ceremony held in Zhejiang Province, when Zhan Xugang witnessed his protégé Shi Zhiyong winning the "Best Male Athlete" award, his heart swelled with endless emotion.
As an experienced coach and mentor, he is undoubtedly very pleased to be able to witness his disciples inherit their spiritual heritage and continue the glorious history of Chinese sports.
It is based on this firm belief that Zhan Xu will return to the public eye many years after retiring from the sport and transform into a manager and leader in the sports world. Even though he is now far away from the competitive stage, he is still going all out for the revitalization of Chinese martial arts and winning glory for the country in his own way.
Moving along this long road, Zhan Xugang has always remembered his original intention as a sports person. His love for sports and his passion for the motherland have long been integrated into his blood, like a beacon illuminating his direction.
What supported him through these difficult years was the selfless support and encouragement from his wife Yao Jian and son.
It is precisely because of Yao Jian's companionship and understanding that Zhan Xugang never gave up lightly in the predicament, and it is also because of his son's admiring eyes that he always spurs him to move forward for the prosperity and development of the country's sports industry.
With the affectionate care and sustenance of his family, Zhan Xugang was able to maintain a strong fighting spirit at all stages of his life, and finally created his own glorious legend.