China's chain ball passed on the torch, and Wang Zheng picked up Zhang Wenxiu to stand on the Olympic podium

Wang Zheng won the silver medal in women's chain ball at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Xinhua News Agency

Beijing News (special Tokyo reporter Xu Bangyin) On the evening of August 3, at the New National Stadium in Tokyo, China's chain ball star Wang Zheng won the silver medal in the women's chain ball with a score of 77.03 meters. After Zhang Wenxiu won the silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games, the bronze medal at the London Olympic Games and the silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games, the Chinese female chain ball players have stood on the podium for four consecutive Olympic Games.

Wang Zheng, 33 years old this year, is one of the oldest athletes for the Chinese track and field team to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. In 2008 and 2016, before participating in the Olympic Games twice, Wang Zheng did not play at the best level, neither of them reached the final, and stood on the stage of the Olympic Games for the third time, and she finally fulfilled her Olympic medal dream.

In the past decade or so, when it comes to Chinese women's chain balls, everyone will always think of the leading figure Zhang Wenxiu, who has indeed achieved good results.

From 2005 to 2017, Zhang Wenxiu participated in 7 consecutive World Championships, all of which won the top 5, including 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2015, winning a total of 2 silver and 2 bronze. From 2004 to 2016, Zhang Wenxiu participated in four consecutive Olympic Games, all of which reached the final, stood on the podium three times, and the best result was the silver medal of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Rio Olympic Games.

Wang Zheng is actually only 1 year younger than Zhang Wenxiu, setting an Asian record of 77.68 meters as early as 2014, but on the stage of the World Series, the overall performance is slightly inferior to Zhang Wenxiu. Before Zhang Wenxiu retired, Wang Zheng's best result was the bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships. As Zhang Wenxiu faded out of the chain ball arena after the 2017 National Games, Wang Zheng took over the baton and became the leader of China's chain ball.

In the 2017 and 2019 World Championships, Wang Zheng won the silver and bronze medals of the World Championships respectively. Before the Tokyo Olympics, Wang Zheng said, "Winning a medal at the Olympic Games is my dream. She said that she did it, and while standing on the Olympic podium for the first time, she also continued the glory of Chinese chain balls in the Olympic games.

Tonight at the New National Stadium in Tokyo, Wang Zheng lost to world record and Olympic record holder Volodachik, a Polish star who has also been a three-time Olympic champion and a four-time World Champion. From Zhang Wenxiu to Wang Zheng, The Chinese ChainBall has never stepped through the stage of Vodalchik, but the efforts and persistence of the two Chinese Chainball players are obvious to all and admirable.

Beijing News reporter Xu Bangyin

Edited by Han Shuangming Proofreader Fu Chunyi