Editor's note: At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Chinese legion is coming! In this team, there are many athletes from Guangdong who will launch an attack on the highest honor. Inside and outside the arena, there are also Guangdong volunteers, entrepreneurs and other people from southern Guangdong. From now on, the Southern Metropolis Daily and N Video launched a special report on "Guangdong people at the Tokyo Olympics" to show Guangdong's participation in international events.
On August 3, Liu Hao/Zheng Pengfei won the silver medal in the men's 1000m double rowing final of the still water kayaking at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Nandu reporter noted that Zheng Pengfei's basic training in kayaking project started from Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong Province. Before entering the national team, he trained for three years in the Guangdong Provincial Kayak Team. Recently, Zheng Pengfei's mother Ai Qun recalled to nandu reporters the excitement of her son when he learned that he had the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games for the first time. Yuan Hu, head coach of the rowing team of the Guangdong kayaking team, said that Zheng Pengfei is an athlete with strong sports continuity ability and comprehensive ability, and hopes that he will continue to show his strength in the next competition.
On the morning of August 3, Liu Hao/Zheng Pengfei's time of 3 minutes 27.023 in the semi-finals set a new Olympic record at that time. On the morning of August 6, Zheng Pengfei will also compete in the men's 1000m single rowing group preliminaries.
China's Liu Hao (left) and Zheng Pengfei in the quarterfinals of the men's 1,000m double rowing boat on August 2. On the same day, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic KayakIng Still Water Event was held at the Uminomori Water Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Pan Yulong
"I haven't touched the boat after two years of practice"
From the "dry duck" who can't swim, to the title of "International Athlete" awarded by the State General Administration of Sport in 2015, Zheng Pengfei only took 7 years.
The journey began in 2007 when the amateur sports school in Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, went to Heilongjiang to enroll students. Zheng Pengfei, who is less than 14 years old and good at football, participated in the selection. Ai Qun recalled to the Nandu reporter that his son was good at sports when he was a child, and his family also supported him in choosing to take the road of professional athletes. It's just that Zheng Pengfei didn't know at the beginning that he was going to participate in the training of water sports, and even swimming was learned from scratch.
Zheng Pengfei came to the humid and hot south alone, in the unfamiliar climate and dialect, Ai Qun recalled, "He is quite able to bear hardships and stand hard work, anyway, how much suffering he suffers outside, he does not tell his mother and father." ”
Ai Qun told Nandu reporters that at first Zheng Pengfei had no concept of kayaking, but only respected the advice of enlightenment coach Mao Guobin and began training. Because the kayaking project has high requirements for the athlete's speed, strength, endurance, balance and other abilities, the preliminary basic and physical training took him a long time. Zheng Pengfei once said to his mother doubtfully: "I have been practicing rowing for two years and have not touched the boat." ”
"At first he probably didn't know much about it, but then he really fell in love with the sport of kayaking." Ai Qun recalled that when Zheng Pengfei's results were not satisfactory, someone suggested that he change the project. "He cried and said to me, 'I can't change, since I have chosen this path, I must go to the end!' In Ai Qun's view, the son's personality is tenacious and persistent, "He is a more emotional child, very delicate, kind, and particularly focused on his goals." ”
In December 2009, Zheng Pengfei, who had outstanding ability, was selected to participate in the guangdong provincial kayaking team for training, and in just one year, he was recruited as a regular athlete with his excellent training performance and excellent competition results, and passed the national team selection in 2013, participating in the preparation for the Incheon Asian Games and the Rio Olympic Games.
At the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Zheng Pengfei and his teammates won the runner-up in the men's double rowing 1000m event. In 2015, he was awarded the title of "International Athlete" by the State General Administration of Sport for the kayaking still water project.
A new partner made a stunning appearance
In 2016, in the strong kayaking national team, Zheng Pengfei failed to enter the Rio Olympic roster. He quickly made a makeover of form, proving his personal prowess a year later at the Tianjin National Games with a gold medal in the men's single rowing 1,000m event.
Zheng Pengfei was the head coach of the guangdong provincial kayaking team, Yuan Hu, and introduced to the Nandu reporter that Zheng Pengfei is a relatively comprehensive athlete, the biggest feature is "aerobic good" (good endurance, good physical strength), and the sustained ability of sports is very strong. "Kayakers need to have explosiveness, aerobic endurance and balance ability, etc., Zheng Pengfei can endure hardships, have high understanding, and have a strong ability to execute training."
In the men's single rowing 1000m final of the 2018 Asian Games kayaking still water competition in Jakarta, Zheng Pengfei led all the way, but failed to win due to an accidental capprase before the sprint. At one point, he was labeled "unstable."
"The mistakes in the game are also a honing for him, he is not the kind of impetuous person. Through the later training and guidance, he already has the concept of looking at the big picture of the game and has matured a lot," said the original lake.
On August 30, 2018, the Asian Games kayaking - men's single rowing 1000 meters, China's Zheng Pengfei in the race. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cheng Min
Yuan Hu also said, "Every athlete may encounter a training platform period, and some athletes may need a long time to break through this platform, but Zheng Pengfei can break through the predicament in a short period of time, which can show that he is a very good athlete." ”
In the process of this breakthrough, in addition to personal talent and hard work, years of rigorous training in the canoe national team played a key role in achieving his breakthrough, "all along, the organization has been very concerned about the growth of this young athlete, riveting enough to create a variety of exercise platforms for him", Yuanhu added.
On the eve of the 2019 World Cup, the national team coaching team made a new and bold attempt: "dismantling" the double-stroke combination of Wang Hao and Liu Hao, who had already won the Asian Games, and instead let Zheng Pengfei and Liu Hao partner to receive devilish run-in training.
The new duo, which has only been "matched with boats" for just over a month, made a stunning appearance at the World Cup Potsnan, winning the 500m double row championship and the 1000m double row third place. In the World Cup Duisburg arena, Zheng Pengfei and his teammates overpowered a number of foreign rivals with various championship titles to win the 1000-meter double-row gold medal in one fell swoop.
The "boat" enters Tokyo
In May 2021, Zheng Pengfei crossed the finish line with a time of 3:57.253 in the men's single rowing 1000m event of the Tokyo Olympic KayakIng Still Water Asia Qualifier.
On July 6, the rowing team of the Chinese kayak team confirmed the list of participants in the Tokyo Olympic Games. The men's double rowing 1000 meters of the advantage event is participated by Liu Hao and Zheng Pengfei, and Zheng Pengfei will also participate in the single rowing 1000 meters competition. Through years of hard work and the tempering of the competition, Zheng Pengfei finally "boated" into the Olympic arena for the first time.
"He was so eager to participate in the Olympics that when the olympic roster was determined, he was particularly excited, saying to me: 'Mom, I finally realized my dream!'" I can go to the Olympics! Zheng Pengfei's mother told Nandu reporters.
Yuan Hu also said that Zheng Pengfei has some experience in major competitions, but after all, he has not been on the Olympic field and has not experienced the atmosphere of Olympic competition. "It's going to be a lot stricter than the usual world competitions, or some of our domestic competitions. The Olympic arena is a brand new arena for him, or it needs him to pay more momentum. ”
On the evening of July 27, Zheng Pengfei arrived in Tokyo with a Chinese kayak team. In an interview, he said that he was very excited to participate in the Olympic Games for the first time, and his heart was also looking forward to it.
"[Coming to this stage] definitely wants to win the gold medal, mainly to row the double rowing boat well, one by one." Zheng Pengfei said that the feeling of entering the Olympic Village is good, and what needs to be done before the game is to adapt to the venue in advance. In the next adaptation training, he will be involved in intense pre-match preparations with the rest of the national team. Wait until the game officially starts, give it your all, devote yourself to the game, and show your best game form.
Zheng Pengfei's mother, Ai Qun, told Nandu reporters that as soon as her son arrived in Tokyo, he reported peace with his family, and he hoped that his son could play his best state, strive to win glory for the country, and achieve a good result.
On the morning of August 3, the Men's 1000m double rowing boat at the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Chinese team Of Liu Hao and Zheng Pengfei successfully advanced to the final with a new Olympic best time of 3:27.023.
In the final, Liu Hao/Zheng Pengfei won the silver medal.
On the morning of August 6, Zheng Pengfei will also compete in the men's 1000m single rowing group preliminaries.
"Zheng Pengfei is not alone in the fight, his family, our coaches, and even the people of the whole country are paying attention to his game. I hope he can let go and do his best to show his strength! The original lake said.
"Tokyo Olympic Guangdong people" special report
Chief planner: Rong Mingchang
Executive Planner: Wang Jia
Coordinator: Nandu reporter Xiang Xueni
Chief Writer: Nandu reporter Lin Zipei
Written by: Nandu trainee reporter Yang Lingyan