On the eve of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when the national team athletes went to Dandong, Liaoning Province, for closed training, careful fans found that He Zhili, the world's number one, did not go with the team, but stayed in Beijing.
Why didn't He Zhili go to Dandong?
According to people familiar with the matter, it turned out that He Zhili did not qualify for the Seoul Olympic Games at this time.
He Zhili was the world number one player at the time, and the women's singles champion of the previous year's New Delhi World Table Tennis Championships, but it was such a strong player who did not qualify for the Olympic Games.
What is the reason for this? Is He Zhili not strong enough? Is it He Zhili's lack of competition experience? Is it He Zhili's poor foreign war results?
At that time, Zhang Xielin, the head coach of Chinese women's table tennis, said that the reason why He Zhili did not qualify for the Seoul Olympics was: complex interpersonal relationships.
In just seven words, the real reason why He Zhili did not qualify for the Seoul Olympic Games.
The reason why He Zhili did not win the Seoul Olympic Games was not because of strength, nor because of the problem of competition experience, nor was it the reason for foreign wars, the most fundamental reason was actually interpersonal relationships!
When it comes to complex interpersonal relationships, to be honest, He Zhili's interpersonal relationship in the team at that time was really not very good. Whether it is a coach or an athlete, there are great opinions about He Zhili.
Why is that?
It turned out that the cause of the incident also went back to the World Table Tennis Championships in New Delhi a year ago, when He Zhili, Guan Jianhua, Dai Lili and South Korea's Liang Yingzi reached the women's singles final four of the World Table Tennis Championships.
In the semi-finals, He Zhili played against Guan Jianhua, while Dai Lili played against South Korea's Liang Yingzi.
However, before the game, the national table tennis coaching team proposed at the analysis meeting that He Zhili should give the ball to Guan Jianhua in the semifinals, on the grounds that he was worried that in another semi-final, if Dai Lili lost to Liang Yingzi, He Zhili might not be Liang Yingzi's opponent, because He Zhili had lost Toung Yingzi before.
However, before the game began, when He Zhili's coach in charge told He Zhili about the decision to let He Zhili give the ball, He Zhili objected on the spot.
He Zhili said that I have already let too many games, this time, I will not let it anymore!
Sure enough, He Zhili, who decided not to let the ball again, beat Guan Jianhua without any ability to fight back in the game against Guan Jianhua, and the score of 3-0 swept Guan Jianhua!
In the other semi-final, Dai Lili lost the game in a 18-12 lead in the decider.
In the final, Zhang Xielin did not allow any coach to give He Zhili an off-court coach, but despite this, He Zhili withstood great pressure and swept Liang Yingzi 3-0 to win the women's singles championship at the World Table Tennis Championships.
Cai Zhenhua, former chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, once said that in the arena, everything should be put first, and the interests of the country should be above everything else. If He Zhili was not willing to give way, she could say it to the leader, but He Zhili did not say it! The reverse is to deceive teammates and also shout injustice.
But the performance of the coaching staff in the final is a great irony for the phrase "national interest above all else"!
If it is really the national interest above all else, how can you not allow any coach to give He Zhili off-court guidance when your own players are playing against players from the outer association?
After He Zhili returned to China after winning the championship, the coaching team held a criticism meeting against He Zhili, at which Dai Lili, who lost to South Korea's Liang Yingzi, even scolded He Zhili, He Zhili did not give in, and the two people fought together.
The leaders of the coaching team have suppressed He Zhili in many ways since then. This led to the fact that in the end, even though He Zhili ranked first in the world, she still did not qualify for the Olympic Games.
Seven words in one sentence: complex interpersonal relationships!
The real reason why He Zhili failed to be selected!
In this way, for athletes, it is not only necessary to practice their own skills and tactics, but also to learn interpersonal communication! In particular, it is necessary to have a good relationship with the leader, only in this way, it is more likely to be appreciated by the leader!
In just seven short words, the Tao could not exhaust He Zhili's heartache!
He Zhili left the national table tennis, and six years later, He Zhili changed her name to Tomori Koyama, defeated Chen Jing, Qiao Hong and Deng Yaping in the Hiroshima Asian Games, won the women's singles championship at the Asian Games, and proved her strength!