TOKYO, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic journey of the Chinese women's epee team came to an end on the 27th, and Xu Anqi's fencing career may also be temporarily marked with commas.
Failing to reach the podium of the team competition is a bitter result for the ambitious Chinese women's weight. Sun Yiwen's accidental injury in the fourth set of the semifinals disrupted the entire deployment of the team, and Xu Anqi was ordered to come on as a substitute, but unfortunately what was left was regret and self-blame.
On July 27, Xu Anqi of the Chinese team played in the game. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Hongxiang
"The coach originally decided that the person I would change was not Sun Yiwen, and Lin Sheng had some lack of methods when he was playing, so he was ready for me to change her." Xu Anqi said, "Because if I am in danger, I am actually still a little unprepared in my mentality, and I am trying to chase points in the case of backwardness, but it is true that compared with before, my ability is also declining." So I think today's game, especially the last game (the third place battle lost to Italy), I played too badly. ”
Chinese player Lin Sheng (right) in the match. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Hongxiang
After the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Xu Anqi entered the marriage hall to focus on her personal life. In 2018, she returned to the national team at the invitation of the Chinese Fencing Association, and a year later, together with Sun Yiwen, Zhu Mingye and Lin Sheng, she won the World Championship team championship for Chinese women, and the Chinese team also entered the Tokyo Olympic Games as the world number one. This is Xu Anqi's third Olympic journey, in 2012, she won the first gold medal of the Chinese Women's Heavy Olympic Games with her predecessors in London, and won the silver medal in Rio four years later.
"Whether it's our team champion at the London 2012 Olympics, (or) Sun Yiwen's individual champion this time, we have to thank the seniors in fencing, because without them laying the foundation for us, I think it would be difficult for us to get to this height. Although we did not win the championship or win a medal in this Olympic Games, I believe that we are the rising stars of the Chinese women's epee, everyone is eager to try, and the Chinese women's weight is a banner that does not fall. ”
China's Sun Yiwen (second from right) pays attention to the game when he goes off for treatment. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Hongxiang
Looking back on the process of preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, Xu Anqi feels that although the results are not satisfactory, everyone has supported them all the way and gained a lot.
"When I knew the Olympics were going to be postponed, I was actually backing off. I think for me, because my knees are still seriously injured, if I insist on it for another year, the unknown is too big, and I don't know if I can do it myself. After my leg was injured twice, I told head coach Yu Ge that I didn't want to stick with it anymore. But he gave me relatively much encouragement, often sent messages, let the translator call me, asked me what I thought, he felt that we won the 19 World Championships, everyone laid the country together, he did not want to miss any corner, hoping that I could stick to it. Xu Anqi said.
This journey, 29-year-old Xu Anqi insisted to the end, is Tokyo the end?
"It may not be my end, but I may still choose my own family after Tokyo." Xu Anqi said, "When my life is more complete, I may choose to come back again, so far, I think it is still more important to have a family." ”
Editors: Wang Hengzhi, Wu Bowen, Gao Meng, Su Yurun (Intern)
Produced by the Xinhua News Agency's Tokyo Olympic Games Reporting Group