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Time flies, and now it is 20 years later. Wang Liping, who was at home, stared at the precious Sydney Olympic Games on the wall, and her thoughts couldn't help but go back to those glorious years.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Wang Liping, with her unparalleled fighting spirit and unwavering perseverance, withstood many difficulties and finally forged ahead bravely, winning the unique gold medal glory of the 20km race walk for her motherland.
This should have been the most brilliant moment in her life, but it invisibly gave her an unprecedented sense of loneliness.
As she passionately raced to the finish line, hoping to immerse herself in the hall of honor that belonged to the champions, she was horrified by the sight of the entire arena, the applause of which was not heard, the coach who presented the flag to her, and the teammates who hugged her were nowhere to be seen.
Wang Liping, who was lonely, tears slipped quietly, her heart was full of complex emotions, and endless grievances and confusion emerged like a tide at that moment.
As an award-winning Olympic champion, she deserves the cheers and heartfelt blessings of the audience, but the reality is heart-wrenching. This moment that should have been radiant has become the most lonely and helpless memory of her life.
The race is already in full swing, with every competitor making a final push towards the finish line. The referee's gaze is like a sharp arrow, keeping an eye on the leading team, for fear of missing a single minor violation.
Just when there were only 100 meters left to the finish line, the Australian runners, who were far ahead, suddenly had an abnormal situation. Her movements began to become distorted, and her feet were no longer able to maintain a standard race walking position.
A harsh referee from the United States was immediately keenly aware of the violation and did not hesitate to raise a punitive red card.
Just when the audience thought that the Australian player was about to successfully win the gold medal, Wang Liping unexpectedly seized this golden opportunity and surpassed all competitors in one fell swoop and successfully climbed the gold medal podium.
When Wang Liping gradually approached the end of the line, tens of thousands of spectators at the once noisy and extraordinary scene fell into an eerie silence. No one, no one, could have predicted such an outcome.
The crowd that had been looking forward to the triumphant return of the host Australians seemed to have been poured with a basin of cold water in an instant.
At that historic moment, Wang Liping's blood was boiling and her heart was surging, and she excitedly tried to cheer with her arms to declare her brilliant victory! However, when she looked around at the empty environment around her, the passion that ignited in her heart instantly turned into a helpless cold silence.
There was no encouragement from her coach, no cheers from her teammates, not even a five-star red flag from her homeland there to welcome her homecoming.
She had no choice but to put down her hands in disappointment, her eyes were slightly moist, and her heart was full of endless grievances and confusion. She could only walk the last few meters in silence to the lonely podium that belonged only to her.
Not long ago, Wang Liping's teammate Liu Hongyu was severely warned by the referee because of his distorted movements and three consecutive violations, and was finally unfortunately expelled from the field.
As a favorite to win the championship, Liu Hongyu was originally full of confidence and looked forward to winning the crown, but he did not expect to fail at this critical moment, and his heart was full of deep remorse.
The instructor just patted her on the shoulder, trying to reassure the disciple who had once carried so many hopes.
From the beginning, Liu Hongyu, who won both the World Cup and the World Championships, was favored and expected by the coaching staff. She is extremely powerful and talented, and naturally becomes the center of attention.
The coaches cared about Liu Hongyu for fear that she would be affected by any interference before the game. During the training process, they always kept an eye on Liu Hongyu's every movement, carefully observed her state, and made adjustments at any time.
On the eve of the competition, an exclusive diet plan and schedule were tailored for her to ensure that she had sufficient physical reserves to achieve excellent results in the competition.
In contrast, the difficulties and hardships experienced by Wang Liping are particularly prominent. She has suffered from injuries for a long time, and some doctors have even advised her to give up the sport outright.
With a strong will and tenacious determination, she got back on her feet again and again and continued to fight hard in the ring.
The coaching staff's attention and support for Wang Liping is far from enough. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, her performance was in trouble and her form was worrying.
It is no secret that everyone thinks she is too tired to carry the burden of competing in the Olympics again. However, with just four days to go, she won three consecutive trials with her tenacity and willpower, so much so that she managed to get a valuable opportunity to participate as a substitute!
However, it is worth noting that although the two athletes advanced to the final at the same time, the attitude of the coaching staff towards Wang Liping and Liu Hongyu was very different. They pinned all their hopes on Liu Hongyu alone, and defined Wang Liping's role as a "supporting role", and the whole game needed to fully cooperate with Liu Hongyu's strategic layout and make unremitting efforts for her to win the gold medal that symbolized honor.
At the beginning of the game, according to the careful planning of the coaching team, Wang Liping followed closely behind Liu Hongyu and formed a strong lineup of the first echelon. She took on the heavy responsibility of "serving tea and delivering water" without complaint, and always ensured that Liu Hongyu could be replenished in time to accumulate strength for the final sprint stage.
The race was in full swing, but it wasn't long before it came to a critical stage. In order to help Liu Hongyu catch up with the leading team, Wang Liping had to improve her speed and move side by side with her.
In the process, Wang Liping's actions aroused the alertness of the referee and suffered the first red card warning.
Witnessing such an unfortunate encounter with his teammates, Liu Hongyu's mood became more and more restless. In a desperate gamble, she put aside her tactical arrangements for the time being, and resolutely lunged forward. It wasn't long before she managed to overtake the leading team and move into the first echelon.
The price was also devastating, as her movements became distorted and deformed, and she immediately received two red card warnings in quick succession.
At this moment, both players are standing on the edge of the cliff, and the next step may be to face the fate of elimination. In order to avoid being sent off, Wang Liping had to give up continuing the chase and return to her original steady pace and move forward slowly.
Liu Hongyu, on the other hand, was completely consumed by the passion of the sprint, and she had no time to care about anything else, so running forward desperately became her only choice.
As expected, after only five kilometers of fierce competition, Liu Hongyu suffered a ruthless penalty and was expelled from the field for his third action violation. This player, who had high hopes, finally failed, and his inner remorse and unwillingness can be imagined.
The trainer could only gently pat her on the shoulder, trying to appease the former proud disciple.
Before the game, Wang Liping and Liu Hongyu were in a very different environment and the challenges they faced, and they could not be compared.
Wang Liping, who is suffering from a stubborn illness, is not yet valued enough in the eyes of the coaching staff, and is in an embarrassing situation. Although she has won many great results on the domestic stage, her past injury history has made the coaching staff cautious.
In the process of formulating the main selection list for the Olympic Games, Wang Liping was marginalized and barely qualified for the competition as a temporary substitute.
Just four days before the competition, this tenacious girl resolutely survived the three-day selection competition, won the championship three times, and successfully entered the Sydney team to win glory for the country.
In order to ensure that Liu Hongyu can perform at her best in the competition, the coaching staff carefully planned various tactical strategies for her, strictly monitored her training, diet and work and rest time, and tried their best to eliminate all difficulties for her, and strive to make her fully engaged in the competition and strive for the Olympic gold medal.
In the hearts of the coaches, Liu Hongyu is undoubtedly the protagonist of this event, and all the energy and resources will be focused on her. In contrast, Wang Liping is more like a supporting role that assists Liu Hongyu and accompanies him on the run.
This poignant incident after the game caused an uproar in the sports world. The General Administration of Sports has carried out in-depth reflection and vigorous rectification of this matter, making it clear that this is undoubtedly a serious work mistake.
An athlete should be accompanied by a person who will always pay attention to his or her physical condition and needs, and provide necessary support and assistance. Especially for an athlete like Wang Liping, who has been stuck with injuries for a long time, she needs far more medical care and psychological care than ordinary people.
The coaching team treated Wang Liping, who won the championship unexpectedly, but they seemed indifferent and ignored. When she needed love the most, they chose to leave en masse, without showing the basic respect that an Olympian should have.
What is embarrassing is that at the moment when Wang Liping, with her personal strength and perseverance, finally stood on the podium and lifted the championship trophy, we found that there was no thunderous applause around the arena, and no one presented her with the five-star red flag symbolizing the glory of the motherland! It is really chilling that such a sacred and solemn moment is so coldly ignored!
The General Administration of Sports has deeply reflected on this and believes that this incident has fully exposed the serious shortcomings of the mainland sports system in protecting the rights and interests of athletes. Every athlete, in order to win the honor, they have paid countless sweat and hard work, and overcome many difficulties.
They deserve the attention and respect of the whole society.
Therefore, the General Administration of Sports solemnly decided that in all official competitions in the future, athletes must be accompanied by staff, whether they win or fail, they must prepare the national flag in advance, so as to express their high respect for the athletes.
In addition, the General Administration of Sports will further improve the relevant rights and interests protection measures at the institutional level to ensure that the basic rights of athletes are not infringed.
This heart-wrenching lesson will surely become an important milestone in the development of China's sports industry, and promote the relevant system to be more humane and humane.
This will undoubtedly contribute to the prosperity and development of sports and culture in the future.