01
In 1986, at the Xicheng Sports School in Beijing, Li Falcon, who was "picking seedlings" for table tennis, suddenly saw a little girl with short hair standing at the door, the girl was thin and small, and shed a "thin bamboo pole".
Seeing Li Falcon observing herself, the little girl was not afraid, but looked back at Li Falcon with wide eyes, which made Li Falcon feel very interesting.
At that time, Li Falcon could never have imagined that this "thin bamboo pole" girl in front of him would become one of the most powerful athletes in the history of table tennis in the future.
Because this little girl, no one else, is the "Great Demon King" Zhang Yining.
Years later, when the past is recalled, Li Falcon and Zhang Yining feel "fun and regretful".
Li Falcon said: If Zhang Yining hadn't mentioned this later, I wouldn't have known that she had gone to me when she was 5 years old, and at that time I thought she was too young, so I took her to another house, if I had taken her at that time, it would have been even more legendary.
And Zhang Yining also ridiculed: Still say it! I was just going to your fame, who knows you think I'm small.
Seeing the two people ridiculing each other, many people can't help but sigh, Li Falcon and Zhang Yining, the feelings are really good.
In fact, even though the two did not become "masters and apprentices" in 1986, it did not affect the legend of the table tennis world they jointly created.
From 1994 to 2011, under the leadership of Coach Li Falcon, Zhang Yining went from an obscure young general to a third-generation table tennis leader after Deng Yaping and Wang Nan, who "fought side by side" for 17 years.
In the past 17 years, they have been both masters and apprentices, and they have been in love with "father and daughter", arguing, crying, and making trouble, until they stand on the top of the world together.
17 years later, Zhang Yining retired, although no longer a table tennis player, but the relationship with Coach Li Falcon is better than before, they do not often meet but still intersect.
Even Coach Li Falcon also ridiculed, don't look at Zhang Yining in front of everyone is the "big devil", in front of me, she is still the simple little girl who has not grown up.
Even now, the story of Zhang Yining and Li Falcon is still continuing, and when they mention each other, they still sigh, miss, and cry.
From "rebellious old cadre" to "confidant daughter", how did Coach Li Falcon cultivate Zhang Yining into a "big devil" step by step?
What exactly did she experience that made Li Falcon's daughter "jealous" that her father gave her father's love to Zhang Yining?
Today, let's walk into Li Falcon and Zhang Yining to see the different "father-daughter love" between the two masters and apprentices.
02
In 1994, Li Falcon was transferred from Beijing Xicheng Sports School to the Beijing team as a coach.
Unexpectedly, after 8 years, Li Falcon saw the thin little girl in the team again. At this time, Zhang Yining, with a long head and a long neck, Li Falcon felt that the girl was like the "bean sprouts" that she ate on weekdays.
However, soon Li Falcon found that Zhang Yining's thinness was just an appearance, and her anti-stress ability and psychological quality were not generally strong!
Generally speaking, as the youngest member of the team, most of them are a little timid, but Zhang Yining is not! Her temperament is: No matter who you are, no matter how old you are, I can be whatever I want.
When the old team members chatted in the house, Zhang Yining grabbed an enamel cup in one hand and dragged a bench with the other hand, and did not go anywhere, just sat and listened.
Others talked and giggled, Zhang Yining did not say a word, just sucked and sucked hot water, that serious appearance, like an "old cadre".
Not only in life is not afraid of the old players, but also on the court is not polite.
Generally, new players and old players fight, and the small will always let the big one show the respect of the junior. But Zhang Yining is, as long as I play, I will desperately try to win.
When encountering the "arrogant" veteran team members, Zhang Yining's principle is:
I win you once, you scold me once. I win you twice, you say I do once. I've won you three times to see if you're still honest!
After slowly observing for a period of time, Li Falcon felt more and more that Zhang Yining was a "good seedling" who played ball.
He sometimes deliberately "tested" Zhang Yining's psychological quality, and asked her how the playing level of the old players was in front of everyone.
Originally, Li Falcon thought that Zhang Yining would at least be "modest" no matter what, but no one expected that Zhang Yining would stunned everyone as soon as he opened his mouth.
What she said was: I'm not afraid of them! Playing is not as good as me, hurry down!
Zhang Yining's words sound arrogant, but everyone is very convinced.
Because in less than 1 year, Zhang Yining relied on his own strength to enter the national second team, and before going to the national team to report, Zhang Yining ran over to say goodbye to Coach Li Falcon and asked Coach Li Falcon if he could continue to take her to play in the future.
Coach Li Falcon smiled: Maybe? If there is a fate, maybe I can still take you.
Later, this statement came true, and in 1996, after Zhang Yining entered the national second team, Li Falcon was transferred from the Beijing team to the national first team in 1996.
After entering the national first team, Coach Li Falcon has never forgotten Zhang Yining, and he thinks every day, how to transfer Zhang Yining from the second team to the first team?
Because At that time, Zhang Yining, although the "head" was very powerful, but the single technology was taken apart, which one was not the most powerful.
In the words of Coach Li Falcon, Zhang Yining plays, the serve is not as strong as others, the strength is not as big as others, and the rotation is not enough, such a level can be in the second team, and it is indeed a little difficult to enter the first team.
However, although I know that it is difficult to temporarily transfer Zhang Yining to the first team, Coach Li Falcon has never given up, and finally the opportunity has come.
In 1996, the national table tennis team had to train with the troops for winter training, and according to tradition, the athletes had to come to a big party with the troops after the end.
Li Falcon thought of a way to find an opportunity to let Zhang Yining be noticed by lu Yuansheng, the head coach of the first team, at this party.
Therefore, Li Falcon secretly found Zhang Yining's coach at the time, Qi Baoxiang, and told him that no matter what, he must let Zhang Yining take the stage as a host.
Therefore, before the party began, Qi Baoxiang began to "shake" Zhang Yining to become the host.
Zhang Yining refused on the spot and said bluntly: How can I do this, I will not be the host?
After Qi Baoxiang saw how to coax Zhang Yining not to come to power, she finally took out the "killer skill", she said: Lao Zhang, if you can get on this stage, you will be able to win the world championship and take the Olympic championship in the future. Upon hearing this, Zhang Yining immediately came to strength, and said without turning his head back: Then I will go up.
Later, recalling the "impulse" of that year, Zhang Yining felt that she was really simple, she said: At that time, I dreamed of becoming a world champion, coach Qi Baoxiang said that I could win the championship when I came on stage, and I thought that this was not much simpler than training.
As soon as Zhang Yining came to the stage, Li Falcon, who was sitting in the audience, immediately introduced Zhang Yining to Coach Lu Yuansheng.
From Zhang Yining's playing skills to Zhang Yining's temperament, all introduced to Lu Yuansheng, in addition, Coach Li Falcon also stressed that Zhang Yining's playing skills are particularly similar to Xiaoshan Zhili, which can allow her to help Deng Yaping train.
After this introduction, Lu Yuansheng made a decision on the spot and let Zhang Yining enter the first team from the second team.
Sure enough, shortly after the end of the party, Zhang Yining was transferred to the national first team.
When Zhang Yining came over, Li Falcon said happily: You see, I can't take you to play again now, Zhang Yining is also smiling happily.
But transferring Zhang Yining to the national first team is not counted, Li Falcon also took special care to find a good roommate for Zhang Yining, this "good roommate" is a big sister who is very good at taking care of people, Wang Nan.
03
Although everything went according to Li Falcon's plan, Li Falcon at that time could not imagine that after Zhang Yining entered the national first team, the contradiction between the two of them had just begun.
At that time, Zhang Yining and Wang Nan were both members of Li Falcon's team, but Li Falcon put most of his time and energy on Wang Nan, which made Zhang Yining feel a little lost.
Especially whenever she watched Li Falcon play with Wang Nan, Zhang Yining felt more and more unfair, and slowly she felt that Coach Li Falcon always didn't care about me.
In 1998, zhang Yining made rapid progress two years after entering the national first team, and 1 year later, Zhang Yining qualified for the first time to participate in the World Table Tennis Championships.
Before the game, she asked Li Falcon, "Deng Yaping does not fight, then you say Wang Nan and Li Ju, who will win the women's singles championship?" ”
Li Falcon joked, "Why don't you ask, can you win the championship?" ”
After saying this, Li Falcon forgot, but Zhang Yining remembered.
Although she did not win the world table tennis championships for the first time, Zhang Yining firmly believed in winning the championship, and in her own words, she dreamed of winning the championship.
But sometimes, the speed is not enough, and after several large-scale competitions, Zhang Yining will basically lose to Wang Nan and miss the championship after reaching the final.
Even at the Ninth National Games in 2001, because there was no hope of victory, Zhang Yining and Wang Nan deliberately played passively in the final set of the showdown, and finally was suspended for 3 months.
Such a "dilemma" lasted until the 2003 World Championships, and after Zhang Yining lost again, the emotions finally broke out in full swing.
She began to fall into a strong "self-doubt", and the estrangement from Li Falcon deepened.
At this time, Zhang Yining had no intention of training at all, as long as she picked up the beat, she would ask Li Falcon: "Do you say that I can't do it?" I can do anything, I just can't win. ”
In addition to strong lack of self-confidence, Zhang Yining's training has also begun to be "perfunctory", and it is impossible to mobilize enthusiasm at all.
Seeing such Zhang Yining, Coach Li Falcon, is not anxious, nor is comfort.
Because Li Falcon was in a hurry, Zhang Yining was even more anxious, and the two were sometimes emotionally excited, and at the same time, they patted the table, and the teacups on the table flew away.
Soft whispers of comfort, Coach Li Falcon is not very good, Zhang Yining does not understand, so the gap between the two intensified, and even Zhang Yining self-examination after many years: I feel that Li Zhi's white hair is what I am angry with.
She once told an example in an interview, saying that whenever Li Zhi finished talking to me, he would ask me if I understood, and I would tell him that I understood, but I would not do what you said, and then I watched him get angry and shake his hands.
Coach Li Falcon, who was sitting on the side, also said bluntly that when he was most angry, he really "hated iron not steel", if it was a male player, it was estimated that he would have smoked it long ago.
The two times their emotions were the most out of control, one was when Li Falcon directly kicked Zhang Yining, and the other time was that Zhang Yining was really emotionally unable to vent, and directly took a fruit knife and stabbed his thigh.
Slowly, Li Falcon saw that Zhang Yining was "soft and hard and did not eat", so he tried to communicate with Zhang Yining in another way.
At that time, everyone chatted and texted, coach Li Falcon felt that this way was good, so he found someone to learn pinyin and text.
Later, Coach Li Falcon joked that Zhang Yining did not know, in order to text her quickly, I still held my mobile phone in the bed in the middle of the night to study it.
After arguing, making trouble, and having emotional outbursts, Zhang Yining's mentality finally slowly calmed down, and she gradually found her state of playing.
On the eve of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Coach Li Falcon came to zhang Yining, who lay on the bed and couldn't get up, she said: I feel so tired.
Seeing Zhang Yining like this, Coach Li Falcon realized that what made Zhang Yining tired was not physical fatigue, but psychology and pressure.
How to make Zhang Yining able to "reduce the psychological burden" is Li Falcon's biggest headache.
Later, Li Falcon told Zhang Yining very seriously, "We don't care what ranking we have now, you will fight until the last ball of the Athens Olympic Games, as long as the last ball does not land, we are fighting, even if we lose in the end, we will not regret it." ”
With the encouragement of Coach Li Falcon, Zhang Yining's inner pressure was reduced a lot and he easily walked into the arena.
On the stage, Zhang Yining "fought" with his opponent, and offstage, Coach Li Falcon frowned.
Whenever he saw Zhang Yining play a good ball, Li Falcon excitedly waved his arms and shouted good, he just wanted Zhang Yining to know that he was great.
If she saw that Zhang Yining did not play well, Li Falcon was extremely anxious, and kept guiding Zhang Yining on the sidelines, reminding her to change tactics at any time.
In this way, a ball down, Zhang Yining won, and finally showed a long-lost smile, while Li Falcon on the stage cried silently.
Afterwards, Li Falcon was interviewed by reporters and asked him how Zhang Yining felt when he won the Athens Olympic Championship this time.
Coach Li Falcon was so excited that he couldn't say anything well, and with tears in his eyes, he said: She finally won the Olympic championship, which is right, because she really worked hard.
Later, after the interview, Coach Li Falcon wanted to smoke a cigarette, but he was so excited that his hands were shaking, he didn't even light the cigarette, and he was even ridiculed by his peers, if at this time you said let Li guide please eat, no matter how expensive the hotel he is willing.
From the Athens Olympic Games to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the era belonging to Zhang Yining has finally arrived.
Since then, Zhang Yining has become a "cold little girl" on the field, with a smile on her face, but her hands are playing more than one "fierce", fighting in all directions, and almost no defeat.
Slowly, Zhang Yining's title changed from "Leng Xiaoya" to "Great Demon King".
Sometimes, as soon as the opponent shook hands with her, he felt that he had lost, and even many years later, Fukuhara Ai said in an interview that he never dared to look at Zhang Yining's eyes on the field, because he felt that Sister Ning was like someone made of ice cubes.
While many people cheered for Zhang Yining's achievements, Coach Li Falcon's mentality was very calm.
He said that you only saw Zhang Yining win the championship and the gold medal, and only I know how hard she worked behind this. For training and competition, Zhang Yining slept by drinking traditional Chinese medicine for two years, she had 11 closed injections in her ribs, and her pressure and courage were not what ordinary people could imagine.
In a word, Zhang Yining is a great table tennis player, she was born for table tennis.
04
In 2009, Zhang Yining completed her lifelong event while playing table tennis, and she found the love of her life, Xu Wei.
From love to marriage, Coach Li Falcon knew the whole process, two nights before the wedding, Li Falcon had insomnia, he said that his "daughter" was married, and his heart was not very good.
At the wedding, Coach Li Falcon instructed Xu Wei like a "father" that he hoped to make Zhang Yining a happy woman, and told himself and Zhang Yining about the difficulties of so many years in front of all the guests.
Seeing her father's speech at Zhang Yining's wedding, Li Falcon's own daughter was extremely entangled in her heart, and when she returned home, her daughter told her mother how to feel that Li Falcon was more like Zhang Yining's "father".
After learning that Li Falcon's daughter had some "imbalance" in her heart, Zhang Yining did not sit idly by, but found Li Falcon's daughter and chatted very seriously.
Zhang Yining told Li Falcon's daughter that in fact, for so many years, she has always known the dedication and efforts of Coach Li Falcon, which is not only a contribution to herself, but also coach Li Falcon's dedication and dedication to table tennis and the country.
As she spoke, Zhang Yining cried, and then Li Falcon's daughter also cried, and after the two of them hugged their headaches and cried, they became close sisters, and there was no longer any barrier.
In 2011, Zhang Yining retired, and although Coach Li Falcon had thousands of reluctance, he was still happy for Zhang Yining.
He said, Zhang Yining is equivalent to what I watched grow up, I know what she has experienced for so many years, other people's little girls, talk about a relationship, shopping, eating or whatever, these happy Zhang Yining is not, she only has ping-pong.
Now, it's hard to have a life of her own, and I'm happy for her.
After retiring from the army, Zhang Yining lived with her husband Xu Wei and gradually "retired" in the public eye and rarely appeared. But her connection with Coach Li Falcon has not been broken.
Even Coach Li Falcon joked that she felt that Zhang Yining was now more and more like a child, and she now told me no matter how big or small, such as her hand being squeezed by the door, playing badminton and tripping over, she would send me a message to "complain".
Even in 2021, Zhang Yining's rare appearances will also talk about Coach Li Falcon.
For example, during the Tokyo Olympic Games, Zhang Yining and Wang Nan and others connected live broadcasts, during which they recalled a lot of things in those years, and when Li was mentioned, the sisters would still giggle and ridicule.
And now 58 years old, Li Falcon is still active in his beloved table tennis career.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Coach Li Falcon stood on the field with gray hair and looked as if his style had not diminished.
But few people know that coach Li Falcon had just completed heart surgery before coming to Tokyo, and he was still going out for the country when he should rest.
After he brought out Wang Nan, Zhang Yining, and Li Xiaoxia, he began to coach a new generation of athletes, such as Sun Yingsha.
Although new athletes are full of talents, Li Falcon still can't forget Zhang Yining.
Even when talking about the young general Sun Yingsha, she also said bluntly: I think she is very similar to Zhang Yining at that time, which is enough to see how important Zhang Yining is in Li Falcon's heart.
From 1994 to 2021, Li Falcon and Zhang Yining's "mentor-apprentice friendship" has been 27 years, and they have long become "father and daughter".
Zhang Yining said: Without Coach Li Falcon, there would be no me today.
Li Falcon said: As a coach, meeting athletes like Zhang Yining is the glory of my life.
Seeing such a Li Falcon Zhang Yining, I believe that no matter how many years have passed, the years of "fighting side by side" and the story of working hard together will always be remembered in people's minds.