(The spirit of the times shines on the Hong Kong River) Ma Long Dialogue with Hong Kong Students: With love and dreams in his heart, it will always be a year to fight
China News Service, Hong Kong, December 5 (Reporter Chen Xiaoyuan) "Every time after the Olympics, many athletes will be known and loved by everyone. Many times I wonder what kind of idols we need in this era. I I think that idols should be fire candles, mirrors, reflecting you and us with love and dreams; with love, it will always be a year to play." Tokyo Olympics table tennis men's singles and team champion Ma Long said in Hong Kong on the 5th.
Mainland Olympic athletes demonstrate performances to Hong Kong citizens.
The picture shows table tennis player Ma Long pairing with Xu Xin and Hong Kong athletes.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Wei
On the same day, Malone and many other Olympic athletes shared their stories of participating in competitive sports with Hong Kong students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Ma Long started playing at the age of 5. At first, his parents only hoped that he would keep fit by playing table tennis.
In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Malone paid attention to the Olympic table tennis competition for the first time. "The moment I saw the Chinese team winning the championship and kissing the national flag on his chest, my blood boiled. At that time, I might have a wish, and I hope that one day I can also represent it. China played and won the gold medal."
Ma Long said that since then, the hobby of table tennis in his spare time has become a link to carry dreams.
He trained hard and didn't give up every opportunity for training and competition, all the way from the Children's Palace to the provincial team, to the Beijing team, and finally to the national team.
At the age of 18, Malone played with the national team in the World Championships in Bremen and won his first world championship; at the 2015 Suzhou World Table Tennis Championships, he topped the men's singles championship.
"During the Rio Olympics cycle, I never lost a foreign war, and foreign media described me as a'hexagonal warrior'. But I feel I haven't reached it yet. This is the direction I am striving for." Ma Long said.
In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Malone won the singles championship and became a "Grand Slam" player.
"Watching the five-star red flag rise because of me at the Rio Olympics is my happiest moment. I finally realized my childhood dream of winning glory for the country." He said.
In the eyes of most people, the 28-year-old Malone should have retired bravely after the Rio Olympics.
At that time, his coach Qin Zhijian asked him: "Can we still go to Tokyo together? Why should we go to Tokyo?" Ma Long replied at the time: "I want to go, I think I can still fight." The coach laughed at the time and he said: "It's not enough just to have this." Ma Long said, at that moment, he did not deeply understand the coach's meaningful words.
Because of his playing habits and high-intensity training all the year round, Ma Long’s left knee has some abrasion and calcification, and he has been undergoing physical therapy for several years.
Since the second half of 2018, he has retired many times due to injury and has been away from the international arena for 8 months.
After the 2019 Budapest World Table Tennis Championships, Malone's leg injury reappeared. For a long time, even with physical training, his knees began to swell and accompanied by severe pain.
"The Tokyo Olympics is less than a year away. Surgery is the only option before me. Before the operation, I shaved my head and I hope I can start from scratch." Ma Long said that after the operation, he could only walk. With crutches, you can only do simple physical training.
"I haven't played for such a long time, but I really feel how much I love this sport." Ma Long said that during that period, most of the time was spent in the rehabilitation hall, occasionally picking up the racket in front of the table and swinging it. Both times, I felt very happy.
If the goal before 2016 was to win the championship, then in this injury, his goal has become to be able to stand in front of the table he loves and continue to play.
"I told myself that even if I didn't catch up with the Olympics due to injury, I would continue to stand in front of the table and continue to play." Three months after the operation, Ma Long returned to the game, the "hexagonal fighter" in everyone's impression. Start from losing.
"Injuries broke Malone" "He is too old" "The era of the'hexagonal warrior' is over"... During those days, all kinds of talk came head on.
When tortured by injuries and failures, Ma Long also asked himself: Can I return to the top?
What is the meaning of keeping going?
"But it was at the darkest moment of my career that I realized that table tennis has become an irreplaceable and part of my life. It is like living in my body. I love table tennis too much. ."He said.
Before the start of the Tokyo Olympics this year, a reporter asked Ma Long, are you afraid of failure?
He said, I would also be afraid of failure, but I want to win even more.
With this faith, the 32-year-old Malone stood on the Olympic Games again and finally won two gold medals.
"After the game, I gave everyone a heart, and I gave this heart to myself, to myself who didn't give up in difficult times." Ma Long said.
"Besides the gold medal and the championship, in my 20 years of sports career, table tennis has taught me how to face winning or losing the most." Ma Long said, as a competitive athlete, he has to face winning or losing every day on the court.
"Only if you have the determination and hard work to win, can you succeed; but sports teach us not only to win or lose, but also the courage to come back after failure and the belief not to give up in desperate situations." (End) )