At 19:00 on July 23, 2021, the much-anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games finally ushered in the opening ceremony, and China sent a strong delegation of 777 people and 431 athletes to compete for the Olympic Arena, which is an excellent venue for promoting the national spirit. Since the first Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, every country has tried its best to hold or participate in it, and wants to show the national spirit of its country to the world through this stage.
89 years ago, China at that time was poor and weak, the great powers were raging, the warlords were fighting, and the land was devastated. Even so, there is still a Chinese, shouldering a historical mission, a person representing a nation, going to the United States thousands of miles away to participate in the 10th Olympic Games held in Los Angeles in 1932 to show our national spirit.
This person is Liu Changchun, the first Chinese athlete to participate in the Olympic Games. It was from this time on that the Olympic Games had a figure of Chinese athletes. Before the competition, Liu Changchun was threatened and lured by the Japanese, but he was unyielding and still insisted on representing China. At that time, Liu Changchun could not even afford to buy a ferry ticket, how did he get to the United States? After the game, how did he return home penniless? What happened to Liu Changchun, who disappeared from the arena?
Liu Changchun was born on November 25, 1909, to a poor family in Hekou Village, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province. His father relied on repairing shoes to maintain the family's livelihood, his mother died of illness relatively early, when he was a child, Liu Changchun often helped his grandfather to go up the mountain to herd cattle, because the family was poor, shoes were often unaffordable, Liu Changchun often ran around barefoot on the mountain.
Even at the age of school, Liu Changchun cherished his shoes the most, in order to make the shoes wear longer, on the way to school and after school, he was still barefoot, and only when he arrived at school would he put on his shoes.
Liu Changchun is an authentic northern man, with a strong and upright personality, a strong body, thick and powerful legs, and is particularly good at running. When he was in middle school, Liu Changchun, who had not undergone formal training, broke the records of 100 meters and 400 meters in the Dalian Middle School Games, which also attracted the attention of Song Junfu, a teacher in the Physical Education Department of Northeastern University.
After graduating from middle school, because of his family's circumstances, Liu Changchun's father did not want his son to study, and wanted his son to learn a craft and supplement the family as soon as possible. Song Junfu was very anxious after hearing this, how could such a good sprinting seedling die! Under the repeated persuasion and recommendation of Song Junfu, Liu Changchun was specially recruited by the Physical Education Department of Northeastern University, and Song Junfu also became Liu Changchun's coach.
Liu Changchun not only likes running very much, but also trains very hard. Under the leadership of Song Junfu, Liu Changchun got up at five o'clock every day to start training, and after a whole day of training, he was often tired, but Liu Changchun did not dare to slack off at all, because he had a dream in his heart, that is, he hoped that one day he would be able to win glory for the country on the field.
Liu Changchun's characteristics are very advantageous, the stride is not only large, but also the pace is very fast, after arduous and continuous training, Liu Changchun's performance has improved very quickly. In 1929, the 14th North China Games was held as scheduled, and Liu Changchun became famous in the competition, winning the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters respectively, and breaking the record of the competition. As a northeastern player, Liu Changchun naturally attracted the attention of Zhang Xueliang, in poor and weak China, such a talent is really rare, Zhang Xueliang is very optimistic about Liu Changchun, he often funded and encouraged him.
Later, Zhang Xueliang specially held a Sino-Japanese-German Athletics Games, Liu Changchun represented China to participate, lived up to the expectations of winning the runner-up in the 100-meter race with a good result of 10.8 seconds, and lost to the German athletes with a score of only 0.1 seconds, but far ahead of the Japanese athletes, and also created the best results in East Asia, which greatly boosted the confidence of the Chinese people.
In 1931, the 918 Incident, which shocked the world, broke out, and Japan established a puppet government in the northeast, and Japan exhausted all means to make the international community recognize the "pseudo-Manchukuo", but with little effect. Japan sees the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics as a great opportunity. If you can participate, you can be recognized by the international community. The Japanese thought of Liu Changchun and hoped that he would represent "Puppet Manchukuo" in the Olympic Games.
The Japanese then brought soldiers and bayonets to Liu Changchun's home, found Liu Changchun's father and said, "We greatly appreciate the talent of your son Liu Changchun, and hope that you will write a letter to let him come back to serve Manchukuo, and we will provide him with all the positions in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sports." ”
Although Liu Changchun's father had not read any books, he still had great national righteousness, and how he was willing to persuade his son to be a traitor and a lackey to serve the Japanese. When the Japanese saw that Liu Changchun's father did not comply, they put the gun and bayonet in front of Liu Changchun's father and said viciously: "Serving manchukuo can enjoy glory and wealth, and Manchukuo has decided to let Liu Changchun participate in the Los Angeles Olympic Games. ”
Liu Changchun's father saw that he could not escape, and in order to protect the safety of the family, he had to be forced to write a letter. Liu Changchun was tricked into going to Dalian and was monitored by the Japanese. At the same time, Japan also held a press conference to announce that Liu Changchun and Yu Xiwei would represent "puppet Manchukuo" in the tenth Los Angeles Olympic Games without Liu Changchun's knowledge.
Soon, the news was published in major newspapers, causing a national shock. When Liu Changchun and Yu Xiwei heard the news, they were very angry. Yu Xiwei swore to death and refused to agree, and was imprisoned by the Japanese. Liu Changchun quietly fled to Beiping with his family and defected to Zhang Xueliang.
Due to the haste of fleeing, Liu Changchun was almost begging while hurrying, and when he arrived in Beiping, his clothes were ragged like a real beggar. Subsequently, a statement was issued in the Ta Kung Pao of Beiping:
"The false reports are purely fictional lies. I am a descendant of the Chinese nation and will never represent the 'puppet manchukuo' at the Olympic Games. Gou Yu's conscience is still there, and how dare he forget the motherland and act as a cow and horse for the puppet puppet country! ”
Liu Changchun's statement instantly broke through the lies of the Japanese, and also showed his determination to love the country and serve the country, and at the same time stimulated the passion of the Chinese people who wanted to participate in the Olympic Games and show the national spirit.
Due to financial difficulties, the National Government had no intention of participating in the Tenth Olympic Games, but in the face of such an international situation and the voice of the people, it submitted an application to the Olympic Committee and obtained its consent. At the same time, the application for "pseudo-Manchukuo" was rejected by the Olympic Committee.
However, the Nationalist government could not come up with money, so it could only let Liu Changchun solve the problem of costs on his own. At this time, Liu Changchun could not even afford a ferry ticket, and how could he raise his own funds to go to the United States to compete. The important person who promoted Liu Changchun's participation in the United States was Hao Gengsheng, who was the director of the physical education department of Northeastern University and had a good personal relationship with Zhang Xueliang.
Hao Gengsheng took Liu Changchun to Find Zhang Xueliang in Beijing, hoping that he could sponsor Liu Changchun to compete in the United States. Zhang Xueliang was already very optimistic about Liu Changchun, and since he was angry with the Japanese in the northeast, he agreed very happily, and funded 8,000 oceans to fund Liu Changchun's participation in the competition to invigorate the country.
The news that Liu Changchun is going to go from Shanghai to the United States to participate in the Olympic Games has not gone away, and although Liu Changchun went to the meeting with a single knife, he has opened up a new historical beginning, which is of far-reaching significance and great significance. On July 8, 1932, Liu Changchun and coach Song Junfu took the President Wilson cruise ship from Shanghai to Los Angeles. More than 2,000 people from all walks of life and people in Shanghai spontaneously went to the wharf to send them off, and the scene was spectacular and warm, and various pennants and slogans were displayed in the wind.
Originally planned for a 15-day trip, because of the storm, the ship was adrift at sea for 21 days, Liu Changchun was very anxious every day, hoping to reach the United States earlier, because he knew that he could only win glory for the country by running. Every day on the ship, he would train on the narrow deck, and although the conditions were harsh, his heart was full of fighting spirit.
Song Junfu looked at Liu Changchun, who was eating and sleeping, and could only comfort: "Even if we really can't catch up with the opening ceremony, we can still participate in the competition, don't be too anxious." But Liu Changchun said firmly: "How does this work, the opening ceremony is as important as the competition, we want the world to see, Chinese coming." ”
Finally, Liu Changchun and others arrived in Los Angeles, the day before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, and although they caught up with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, Liu Changchun did not have time to rest and adjust. On July 30, 1932, the opening ceremony of the 10th Los Angeles Olympic Games officially began, the Olympic Games had a total of 37 countries, more than 2,000 athletes participated, other national teams were huge, but China only Liu Changchun was an athlete. There were six members of the Chinese delegation, the other five were coach Song Junfu, team leader Shen Siliang, sports director Topin, professor Shen Guoquan in the United States, and Liu Xuesong, a representative of students studying in the United States.
Although Liu Changchun's heart was sour, he still decided to raise the flag and stride into the field alone. At the opening ceremony, Liu Changchun always took a step with his head held high, not humble, and he wanted to let the whole world know that China had also come to participate in the Olympic Games. Although the Number of Chinese Delegations was pitifully small, all the Chinese in the audience burst into tears and shouted with excitement. The arrival of Liu Changchun made the Chinese in the United States very excited, and the local Chinese representatives also specially set up a banquet for Liu Chengchun and others to pick up the wind and wash the dust and cheer for them.
On the third day after the opening ceremony, the 100-meter race of the Olympic Games began, Liu Changchun failed to adjust the race state because of the fatigue of the boat, did not play a normal level, and only ran 11.35 seconds, far behind the 10.8 seconds record he held in China, only to the 5th place in the group, failed to enter the final. If Liu Changchun played at a normal level, even if it was not the best result, it would not be a problem to enter the final, and even had the opportunity to hit the medal, because the Olympic record of 100 meters at that time was also 10.8 seconds.
After only a few hours, Liu Changchun participated in the 200-meter race again, but finally failed to reach the final due to excessive physical exertion. At that time, there were too few athletes, and they wanted to participate in more projects, at first the delegation also registered for liu Changchun's 400-meter competition, but Liu Changchun was exhausted after continuous struggle. Coach Song Junfu looked at his beloved disciple who was sweating like rain, and his heart was like a knife, and he had to give up the upcoming 400-meter race.
After the game, Liu Changchun was very upset and depressed. However, Liu Changchun's feats have opened a new chapter in the history of China's Olympic Games, and in that era of war, he competed in the Olympic arena with a vigorous and upward spirit, showing the world China's national spirit, although defeated and honored.
After the competition, Liu Changchun faced a difficult problem, that is, the 8,000 oceans funded by Zhang Xueliang had basically been used up, and there was no extra money to buy tickets to return to China. I had to stay in the United States for a long time, and finally under the financial support of many overseas Chinese, I was able to collect the travel expenses back to China.
In 1936, When China was more difficult, Liu Changchun represented China for the second time in the Olympic Games and participated in the 11th Berlin Olympic Games in Germany, and after 28 days of turbulence, although full of ambition, he had no choice but to return home.
In the blink of an eye, the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out, Liu Changchun never had the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games again, and realizing his dream of the Olympic Games also became his lifelong regret. In war-torn China, Liu Changchun lived a life of upheaval and displacement. It was not until the founding of New China that Liu Changchun once again returned to the stadium he loved all his life, but unfortunately, he was no longer an athlete.
From March 1949 to August 1950, Liu Changchun served as an associate professor at Changchun Normal University. In August 1950, Liu Changchun returned to Dalian and served as an associate professor in the Department of Physical Education at Dalian Institute of Technology (now Dalian University of Technology). Liu Changchun personally leads his students in training every day, and he hopes that these descendants can surpass themselves and complete their Olympic dreams for themselves. To this day, a statue of Liu Changchun still stands in Dalian Polytechnic Institute.
In 1979, Liu Changchun served as vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee and other positions, and after his retirement, Liu Changchun still did not leave his beloved sports career. Liu Changchun compiled what he had learned all his life into a book, which he personally wrote in 1982 and officially published in 1987, continuing to contribute to the Chinese sprinting movement.
In his later years, Liu Changchun often said to his son: "My greatest wish is to see Chinese win gold medals in the Olympic arena, to see our country host an Olympic Games, and to welcome athletes from all over the world to dream of the Olympic Games." At the end of February 1983, Liu Changchun suddenly felt unwell and was admitted to the hospital, and died on March 25 of the same year at the age of 74.
Soon, Liu Changchun's wish was fulfilled by Chinese, and in 1984, at the 23rd Olympic Games, also held in Los Angeles, Chinese shooter Xu Haifeng won China's first gold medal in the 60-round slow-fire pistol competition for China. After decades of hard work, Chinese athletes have ranked at the top of the gold medal table and medal table. In 2008, Beijing, China successfully hosted the 29th Olympic Games, welcoming guests from all over the world with a grand and magnificent opening ceremony. Now, China has become a veritable sports power.
As Pierre de Coubertin, one of the founders of the modern Olympic Games, once said, "What is important in the Olympic Games is not victory, but participation; the essence of life is not to take, but to struggle." ”
Liu Changchun can be said to be "born at an inopportune time"; weak countries have no diplomacy, and weak countries have no sports; in that era of war and war, in countries devastated by war, there are still athletes like Liu Changchun who dream of the Olympic arena and carry forward the national spirit. The Chinese national spirit, the Olympic spirit, under the struggle and inheritance of generations of Chinese athletes, has become famous in the world, and Liu Changchun's patriotic spirit of pursuing the Olympic Games should be remembered by the world.