Hou Zhihui waited for 5 years to realize his dream of Tokyo: practicing weightlifting is not boring

Hou Zhihui won the second gold medal of the Chinese sports delegation at the Olympic Games. Figure/IC photo

Five years ago, Hou Zhihui, nicknamed "Little Monkey", followed the Chinese sports delegation to the Rio Olympics, but was unable to play at the last minute due to injury. Five years later, 24-year-old Hou Zhihui realized her dream in Tokyo. In the just-concluded Tokyo Olympics weightlifting women's 49 kg competition, Hou Zhihui won the championship with 94 kg in snatch, 116 kg in deadlift and 210 kg in total, winning the second gold medal of the Chinese sports delegation in this Olympic Games.

The trip to Rio hit hard

The Olympic dream was postponed five years

Five years ago, 19-year-old Hou Zhihui went to the Rio Olympics with the Chinese weightlifting team, when she ranked first in all three domestic trials and was regarded as a strong contender for the women's 48 kg gold medal. But at the last moment, Hou Zhihui failed to play due to injury. The Chinese weightlifting team then replaced Hou Zhihui with Meng Suping in the women's 75 kg category. Meng Suping also lived up to expectations and won this big-level gold medal.

For Hou Zhihui, the trip to Rio hit her hard, and her Olympic dream had to be postponed for 5 years. In the new Olympic cycle, setbacks failed to crush Hou Zhihui's thin-looking body, and she quickly adjusted.

In 2017, Hou Zhihui won the championship at the Tianjin National Games. In the 2019 Fuzhou World Cup, Hou Zhihui won the championship with a snatch of 94 kg, a deadlift of 116 kg and a total of 210 kg, which has since established an absolute advantage in this level. You know, the rio Olympics women's Thai athlete Santana won the overall result of the championship is only 200 kilograms. In that World Cup, the domineering Hou Zhihui gave herself 99 points, "The 1 point deducted was afraid of my pride." ”

At the Asian Championships in April this year, Hou Zhihui won the championship with a snatch of 96 kg and a total of 213 kg, breaking two consecutive world records. In the women's 49 kg category, competitors are mainly concentrated in Asia, and European and American players have little advantage in the women's small level.

Coming to Tokyo this year, gold medals are Hou Zhihui's only goal. London Olympic runner-up Wu Jingbiao predicted the match, saying that Hou Zhihui should try to open up the gap with his opponent as much as possible in the snatching competition, so as to take the initiative in the deadlift.

Sure enough, Hou Zhihui easily lifted 88 kg and 92 kg in the first two, and the third one lifted 94 kg, 7 kg ahead of Seckholm, far away from the opponent. In the subsequent deadlift competition, Hou Zhihui lifted 116 kg in the third hand and won the championship with a total score of 210 kg.

Weightlifting projects are not boring

She is the pistachio of the team

Hou Zhihui, 24, was born in Meitang Village, Guiyang County, Chenzhou, Hunan. At the age of 11, Hou Zhihui was favored by coach Li Zhiping to start weightlifting training when he was studying at Guiyang No. 3 Middle School, and a year later he entered the Hunan provincial team, and then smoothly entered the national team.

"In the beginning, everyone told me that weightlifting was boring, but I practiced and found that it was not boring." The lively and cheerful Hou Zhihui is the pistachio of the weightlifting team, nicknamed "Little Monkey", she can become good friends with everyone, "I don't know, they like me, what can I do." ”

But no matter how good the personality is, it can't stand the troubles caused by injuries. During the Tokyo Olympic cycle, Hou Zhihui was tortured by injuries and illnesses for a long time, and it was a little difficult to walk. "For a long time, I was a little unstable, and I was really afraid of getting hurt." Now I am trying to overcome it, and it is much better than before. Hou Zhihui said that during that time, the psychology and thinking were somewhat chaotic, but after wanting to open, the whole person relaxed a lot, "that is, training steadily and well, and completing the goals of each week, so that it is more practical." ”

In June last year, Hou Zhihui changed coaches, the head coach was replaced by the 62-year-old Deputy Head Coach of the Chinese Women's Weightlifting Team Wang Guoxin, and her psychology and technology also entered a stable period, "I am now more focused on training, and I don't have to think too much about the rest." I am technical, as long as the strength rises, technology is no problem. ”

At the age of 24, Hou Zhihui has experienced two Olympic Games, and her mentality has become increasingly calm and mature, "The most important thing is to take your own path, make yourself more psychologically stronger, and don't think too much." Hou Zhihui said that every time she competes, she hopes to win the championship and win glory for the country, which is her only goal.

Sun Haiguang, chief reporter of the Beijing News, reported from Tokyo

Edited by Wang Xichong Proofreader Wu Xingfa