Chapter 19 7. Good Luck, Beijing

From August 15, 2004 to August 17, 2008, it was a four-year period full of hardships, but in the end it was a perfect day. Coincidentally before the Athens Olympics, the 2008 Tongyu Cup was also held in Jakarta, Indonesia.Same arena, same hotel, same result.After three consecutive Thomas Cup championships, I chose to only participate in the Thailand Open in the three Southeast Asian tournaments.After winning the championship, I began to enter the closed state of first-level preparation. Before approaching the most important battle of 2008, I thought a lot.In China, it seems that an athlete can only be recognized if he participates in the Olympic Games and wins the championship.And the rest are all blurred faces.You can't change all this, you can only live with it.

However, there are only two types of athletes: one is that he has a very good life and has been favored by God. Although he has no brilliant story, he has won the most important championship; the other is that although he has created his own era, but when it comes to a certain match, the impression left on people is regrettable, just like Baggio in the football world.People who are truly perfect like Jordan or Schumacher can only be said to be due to fate. I haven't told my own fortune, but I know that I am a controversial figure, which means that I still have to work hard to make myself stronger and win so that others have nothing to say.I can only be that kind of player, only the down-to-earth type.In my career, there has been no luck at all.If I use money to buy stocks, lottery tickets, etc., it must be in vain, because I can't have the life of winning the lottery.

A person's life is very limited, and a sports career is very short.It can be said that from the day I started to pick up the racket, it has entered the countdown.In the seven years since I entered the national team in 2000 and appeared in international competitions in 2001 to the Beijing Olympics, I have been trying my best every day and constantly proving myself. I said to myself: No matter what the outcome of the Beijing Olympics is, there is still a long way to go in career and life.But I have a premise - I don't allow myself to lose without playing anything, this is my bottom line.And even if he wins the championship, it's just this time's brilliance, just a point in the long river of life.

Because I thought of all kinds of good and bad situations. Before the Beijing Olympics, I could already feel what was behind that wall, so I felt more at ease in my heart. However, it is impossible to say that you are not nervous.During those days, because I devoted myself to doing one thing, I felt that time passed quickly.I am very devoted to training every day. Director Tang is also there, and the coaches around me are doing their best to help me, and they work together to hope that I will become stronger and more stable in less than two months. Helping me find more ways to release some stress.

In the past, every Sunday, I would sleep until noon, sleep until I woke up naturally, and then go to eat, go shopping or watch a movie or something.But in the two months of preparation, I basically went to run at 9 am every Sunday as usual.It doesn't necessarily have a great intensity, I just hope that I can guarantee a good state every day.In this way, next Monday, I can quickly and directly enter the training state.I just hope that I can gain a little bit every day. However, that wall at the General Training Office doesn't really cut you off from the rest of the world.With the media from all over the world pouring into Beijing, Beijing's Gymnasium Road, the important town of the Chinese Sports Corps, has become the focus of the world's attention.The countdown ranges from 100 days, 50 days to 30 days, and you can even feel the beating of the drums getting closer.Everyone said to me: "Come on, Lin Dan, beat Lee Chong Wei, beat Park Sung Hwan..." Those who knew each other, those who didn't know each other, and those who didn't say hello before, all said "Come on" when they saw me.I know they mean well, but I'm already a little upset, and when they say that, it's like adding fuel to the fire.

When the pressure is too great, I will also be anxious, and it may even be a little "unreasonable" in the eyes of others.When I was a child, I was suspended from training for 20 days in the Bayi team because I dropped my racket, but in the days of preparing for the Beijing Olympics, the rackets I dropped could probably be organized into a row. Sometimes when I play in-team games with Chen Jin or Xiao Bao, if the doctor helps me to play for more than 15 minutes, I will be anxious, and I will complain "why is it so slow"; I am also worried about how much to eat. No energy.During that time, I often lost my temper for no reason.Fortunately, I got used to the pressure ahead of time.Time wears away the thorns on my body day by day, which is better than my anxiety when I am in the Olympic Games.

This is the pressure I have to bear, and many people are watching what I will do in the 2008 Olympic Games.Of course, some fans wished me to realize my championship dream at home, but there were also many people who were waiting to see how I would fail. I could feel such an aura around me—someone didn’t want me to win. But the more dangerous the environment is, the more faith is needed.I know that a person's ability must be limited, and I hope to gather the strength of all teammates, peers, coaches and staff to help me overcome this hurdle. Just one month before the Olympic Games, one day I had a whim and wanted to collect the signatures of the whole team on the golf bag. Please write me some words of encouragement.Writing on something that I can see every day and is with me all the time, the power transmission will be different.I have always been asked for my signature by others, but this time I finally asked for someone else's signature.At the beginning, I asked the team members to help me with this matter.But later, I felt that it was no big deal to go by myself.

After entering the Olympic Village with the blessings of the whole team, the pressure made me unable to escape even more.No matter where I go, I always hear voices like "Come on, Lin Dan, we like you very much". The Olympic Village is located in the northwest corner of Beijing, and Beijing University of Technology, where the Olympic badminton venue is located, is located in the southeast, so the one-way time takes 40 minutes.In addition, there is no suitable training venue in the Olympic Village, so we still have to go back to the General Training Bureau every day to ensure daily training.Moreover, sparring players cannot enter the Olympic Village.In order to avoid the exhaustion of traveling and traveling, the team finally decided that Director Tang and I, as well as my junior brother Wen Kai who served as my training partner, would still stay at the Tiantan apartment and maintain the original rhythm of preparation.

However, in the end, it was Xie Xingfang who really made me abandon everything and truly comprehend the true meaning of the Olympic spirit. With the main opponents Gade, Taufik, and even my good friend Bao Chunlai out early, the cruelty of the Olympic Games is intensifying. On the afternoon of August 16, 2008, the women's singles final of the Beijing Olympic Games took the lead.I didn't go to the scene, but chose to watch live TV in the room.In this game, as A Fang's boyfriend, I must be biased.I want her to win, no question about that.I couldn't sit down all afternoon.Every time Ah Fang hits a good ball, I shout and run around the room.The game played a full three sets, which was the most exciting game in the women's singles finals of previous Olympic Games.It's just that there is only one final champion, congratulations to Zhang Ning.However, I am also proud of Ah Fang.I know she really wants to win, although the result is a pity, but there is no regret.Because both of them have played at a very high level, even if they are second, it shouldn't matter.

Seeing Ah Fang standing on the runner-up podium, I seemed to know what I should do the next day.Later I said to her on the phone: "If I can play as well as you tomorrow, I will be very happy to get second. At least our family will have two silver medals." The day has finally arrived. After waking up in the morning on August 17th, I did a simple warm-up. I didn’t eat much at noon. I was afraid that I would not be able to run later, and then I was going to sleep for a while.But at noon that day, even Wen Kai couldn't sleep.During the period before the Olympics, he was the closest person to me, closer than the coach and Ah Fang.All the second-line players went home on vacation, and he stayed alone to train with me.After he approached me, he also felt the extremely tense atmosphere of the Olympic Games.As the time for the decisive battle drew nearer, they naturally became nervous.

I remember that before I set off that afternoon, I turned up the stereo in the room to the loudest and sang along with the stereo. I can't remember exactly what I heard, I only remember Jay Chou's live version, the passionate and lofty version.The tsunami-like screams at the concert got me into the situation ahead of time.Yes, Lin Dan will be on stage next, my showtime is here! This is my first Olympic final and Lee Chong Wei's first.In the history of Olympic badminton, there is no precedent for the first and second seeds to meet in the men's singles final.Both of us really want to win and continue to make history. During the warm-up, I could feel that he was in great shape.Because I saw that some of his practice balls had a very high hit rate and the landing point was very accurate.This also inspired me to go all out in the game. After the foreshadowing of the previous men's doubles final, the atmosphere in the entire stadium has been pushed to its peak.The finale of the men's singles final was staged amid much anticipation.To be honest, it was the first time I felt the home atmosphere in a major competition.That night was a dreamlike experience for me. The entire stand was flooded with red, and from the beginning to the end you only heard "Go Lin Dan, come on Lin Dan".Every time I score is very enjoyable, because the audience is excited for it, and you can feel the catharsis in the applause and shouts.It was 20-8 in the second inning, I got the championship point, and the frenzy in the gym seemed to blow the roof off at any moment.Although the advantage is great, I still remind myself to calm down and score this last point.Taking a deep breath and holding my breath, I can hear the "brushing" sound of the racket when it hits the ball, each sound is firmer and more deadly. Lee Chong Wei returned the ball to the net and got the last point. I jumped up and threw the racket, and it rolled around on the floor again.The reaction at that moment was—it was finally over.It was a relief for me, and it was a liberation for a lot of people.During the tens of seconds of embracing Coach Tang Xianhu and Coach Li Yongbo, I seemed to cry.I haven't shed tears for a long time, and I felt very unnatural and unreal when the tears came out at that moment. After the award ceremony and the doping control, it was already the early morning of the next day.I looked at my phone, there were 223 text messages!I don't know how to respond, because there are too many people paying attention to me.I'm glad I didn't see this scene before, otherwise I would be even more nervous. And those who waited to see my jokes, I didn't give them a chance.From the end of 2007 when he cooperated with Director Tang for more than half a year until the end of the game, he paid a lot.There are also many young athletes who are willing to serve as sparring partners, just so that the team can finally complete the task of the Olympic Games.Therefore, everyone is in their own position and has made their own greatest sacrifice. Because there is no room for loss, I made perfect preparations for this game.The strange incident that happened in Shaoshan before the Athens Olympic Games has always been a "knot" of mine.When I had the opportunity to go to Hunan again in 2008, I deliberately went to worship the Mao family's ancestral grave again.On the way up the mountain, Chen Jin and I were still walking slowly. Director Li deliberately teased us: "Whoever arrives the fastest will be the most sincere." That day, Chen Jin and I were still wearing casual clothes, and we ran desperately up the mountain .Chen Jin also won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.And before the final, I also imitated Kong Linghui back then and pinned a Chairman Mao badge on my chest, hoping that it would bring me strength, and fulfilled a long-cherished wish in my heart.Later, it became a tradition in our team to pay homage to the Mao family’s ancestral grave before major competitions, especially before the Olympics. I watched the video of the final with Lee Chong Wei many times.In fact, there were not many unexpected shots. I just saw that I was very involved, and my eyes were fixed on every shot of Li Zongwei.Rarely have I seen myself so focused.By the second half of the race, I was getting faster and faster. Getting the coveted gold medal was followed by various interviews, activities, and then the "Olympic champion's trip to Hong Kong and Macau". This has become a routine, and it is also the first time for me to participate.Before departure, a former Olympic champion told me: "Don't you want to get a stamp of Lin Dan's signature?" I said: "Why do you want to get this?" He said: "It will be more convenient for you to have this, otherwise Will tire you to death." At that time, I thought that I was an athlete, and if someone asked me for an autograph, they really liked me, so I should sincerely sign it for them.As a result, two days before departure, I have been signing.On the plane from Beijing to Hong Kong, I didn't stop for more than three hours, and I kept signing.When I arrived in Hong Kong and Macau, I still kept signing.I feel so scary, I want to hide when I see a crowded place. To be honest, I don't think this form of activity can have a profound impact on society.China won 51 gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, which brought much pride to the Chinese people.But how long can these last?How many champions are really remembered?Instead of this, why not understand what people really need, do a good job in the promotion of each project, and let more people really like sports and join the ranks of sports?Let every project have more vitality, let the market decide their fate. In Hong Kong, I wanted to go to Ocean Park and Disneyland, but wherever I went, it seemed that I would be surrounded by "visiting".I can't describe this feeling, it's kind of black humor, maybe a little funny. The Beijing Olympic Games may be an important turning point in my life.Sometimes looking at that gold medal, I feel both happy and weird.Because before that I won many championships and played countless good shots, but the most impressive thing about me is the Olympic finals. I don’t even know how I got through the first few rounds. They only know that I am clean and sharp. I beat my opponent Lee Chong Wei.Is this my career?Is my career just that game? Although that game is very important to me, it is also very important to many people.But I have been playing since I was 5 years old. If I didn’t have this Olympic gold medal, would I have been practicing for nothing for so many years, and no one would remember Lin Dan?Once it fails, all the efforts of the sparring partners and the staff will be in vain, and their efforts will disappear in an instant, and I will let them down.The fate of so many people is in my hands, and only an Olympic gold medal can save them all. I don't know if I'm playing or not the sport I grew up loving.I play badminton just because I like it, instinctively and naturally.When I grow up, I need to have a sense of responsibility, to represent China in the competition, and to win honor for the motherland.Although I have reached the top of the world, my stage is getting smaller and smaller. It seems that only the Olympic gold medal and the championship podium less than one square meter are the stage to truly realize the value of my life.It's really sad and scary. When an athlete leaves his parents and trains hard day after day, he bets his youth and future, and finally waits for an opportunity for four years.What if he was injured in the middle, or got sick, or some uncertain factors caused him to fail to achieve good results, or even fail to participate in the Olympics? I was 25 years old in 2008, and I had to die for the Olympic gold medal.Four years later, as long as I stand on the field, I will also do my best for my motherland and the countless people behind me who have contributed silently.However, please do not tie the national honor and the value of athletes to the last gold medal. I am very happy that after the Olympics, I won the championship again at the China Open at the end of 2008, and I was still able to defeat Li Zongwei.I want to tell everyone through this that I don't lose my career goals after winning the Olympic championship. The championship at the end of 2008 made me more firmly understand what I need - what I value is the entire career, although there are no so-called real professional athletes in China. Now, I am proud of myself. The 2012 London Olympic Games will be the third time for me to represent the Chinese men's singles in the Olympic Games.It took me 12 years in the national team to prove that I am still one of the first choice athletes in the men's singles.What I want to do is to create a record that is difficult for future generations to surpass, to create an era of Lin Dan, instead of many years later when people mention Lin Dan, they only remember how many championship titles he has won.