In the Olympic arena, every drop of sweat and every shout is a true portrayal of the athletes' dreams and dedication.
In the semifinals of the women's singles table tennis at the Paris Olympics, Japan's Hina Hayada lost 0-4 to China's Sun Yingsha and missed the opportunity to advance to the final.
After the game, she burst into tears and cried emotionally, which was deeply heart-wrenching.
During the interview, Hina Hayada choked up and said, "I've been working hard for three years to get to where I am today." This sentence condenses her dedication and desire in the past three years.
As a popular table tennis player in Japan, Hina Hayada has indeed won many honorary titles over the years. Having been practicing her basic skills at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium since she was a child, she showed exceptional talent and a passionate love for table tennis.
At the age of 14, she won the national junior championship, becoming the youngest Japan champion at the time. She then became a sensation, representing Japan at the World Cup at the age of 17.
Although she ended up in the quarterfinals, her energetic attacking style is well known to the world and has been named the "Tokyo Whirlwind".
In the years since, Hina Hayada has flourished, reaching the semi-finals twice in three consecutive World Cups.
In 2021, she created a legend in the Asian Championships, winning three events and becoming a well-deserved "Asian First Sister".
However, the highest honor of being a professional athlete, the Olympic gold medal, has been hovering at her fingertips.
At Tokyo 2020, she only won a bronze medal in the women's singles, and she was still one step away from the coveted gold medal.
In order to realize this dream, Hina Hayada worked even harder in the following three years.
She began to spy on the strengths of Chinese players, learn the top-ball skills of Ma Long and others, and strengthen the solidity of the baseline defense. The intensity of the training was unprecedented, and it even affected the physical condition for a while.
On the field, she is often engrossed, the atmosphere is tense to the point of stiffening, and every bit of the racket, every turn and waist condenses the desire for the championship. She firmly believes that as long as you give, you will eventually reap the rewards, and her dream of a gold medal has never wavered.
Paris was her last chance.
Unfortunately, in the semi-finals, she did not fully perform at her best and missed out on the title. But her pursuit of her dreams and her desire for a championship have never diminished even the slightest.
Before the game, Hina Hayada was full of confidence. She put a lot of effort into the preparation, whether it was physical training or technical drilling, she did it to the extreme.
In her pre-match press conference, she confidently said: "I am in the best shape of my life and will definitely do a miracle at the Paris Olympics." Her words also raised the expectations of Japan fans.
However, at the beginning of the match, Hina Hayada appeared slightly passive. In the first game, she was attacked by her opponent and failed to fully display her attacking style. Although she tried to fight back with lane changes, she was always suppressed by her opponents.
What's even more surprising is that Hina Hayata's movement on the court doesn't seem to be as flexible as it seemed before the game.
Probably because she was too nervous, her pace seemed a little clumsy, barely keeping up with the opponent's offensive and defensive rhythm.
Gradually, she began to fall into a passive situation, often chasing her opponent's ball all over the court.
Brilliant twisting power is rarely seen, replaced by reluctant saves and passive rebounds.
Despite this, Hina Hayada did not give up easily. She gritted her teeth and pressed hard, trying to take advantage of every chance her opponent missed.
But just when she finally found some senses, the bout was in its final round.
At the critical moment, she made a low-level error on her serve, allowing her opponent to take it easily. When she saw that loss, Hina Hayada finally burst into tears.
She crouched on the sidelines, her shoulders sinking and sobbing. Three years of hard work and countless nightmares of dreams and demons came to naught at this moment.
"I'm sorry for the people who have always supported me." Seeing the expectant eyes of her supporters, Hina Hayada couldn't hide her guilt.
As a rookie in Japan's table tennis scene, she has always attracted the attention of the fans, and every appearance on the court carries the high expectations of fans. However, when her dream came true, she failed to complete her mission, which inevitably disappointed her supporters.
In the face of doubts, Hina Hayada bluntly said that she was not in 100% form, but she did not give up. "In the third and fourth place finals, I will try not to leave any regrets."
A tear did not extinguish her fighting spirit, on the contrary, ignited her courage to start again. The Olympic arena is cruel and ruthless, and dreams are often ruthlessly crushed, but as long as the fire in the heart is not extinguished, there will always be hope for rebirth.
"I'm going to give it my all and fight for honor." Hina Hayada firmly outlines a blueprint for the future. Despite missing out on an Olympic gold medal, there is still hope for a third- and fourth-place finish.
She is determined to give her all in the last stand, repay her supporters with practical actions, and write even a small chapter for herself.
Tears fell, and there was no frustration in sight, only firm expectations for the future. Every athlete wants to have a brilliant life, even at a low point.
I believe that Hina Hayada will draw strength from this setback, make persistent efforts on tomorrow's journey, and write a more exciting chapter.