Chapter 13 I'm the champion!

Is this the champion he has been dreaming of?It's strange, I have designed various celebration actions before, like Sun Shuwei swung his fist vigorously like Sun Shuwei in the Olympics, but when the gold medal came, I only felt the trembling of victory, and I could only keep laughing silly. Since the first day of my diving career, I have been looking forward to the day when I will win the championship.That is the dream of all professional sports players, and it is also the highest embodiment of personal value. However, the cruel reality tells me time and time again that if you want to achieve great things, you must wait.

So, I waited, and when I was tired, tired, failed, and stared at, I would wait for my championship dream in a corner where no one was around. I have been waiting for this dream for four years! Before, I won the national second division championship in Nanjing, Jiangsu.I remember watching other people's games after the game was over.It wasn't until Zhang Lian reminded me: "Tian Liang, don't forget to go to the organizing committee to get your gold medal." Then I suddenly remembered that I had succeeded. There were no flowers, no applause, no shining trophies, and even my name and unit were not announced on the big broadcast. It was just a second-tier competition, not the champion I wanted!

After I came back from Canada and the United States in 1994, I returned to work under Zhang Lian, and I will prepare for the national championship in September.Due to the crash between the national competition and the World Swimming Championships held in Rome, Italy in September, plus the previous regulations of the national team: players participating in the World Series do not participate in the national competition.Even the "Queen" Fu Mingxia, who won four gold medals in the Olympics, only won the national championship once, in the national competition in Fuzhou; in the 1993 National Games, she came second and lost to Wang Rui.

When the two masters Xiong Ni and Sun Shuwei who participated in the World Championships were absent, and my evenly matched opponent Xiao Hailiang also forfeited the national competition for some reason.My chance has come. The competition is scheduled to be held in Wuhan, Hubei, and adopts a knockout system.In order to win the final championship, players must go through three rounds: the first round, enter the top 12; the second round, divide into two groups, and eliminate the bottom four in each group; Elimination, and finally decide the champion.This is somewhat similar to the current "death duel", but at that time I was young and did not appreciate the cruelty of the game.

I just jumped down round after round, with fewer and fewer opponents, and my splashes became more and more beautiful.I've never felt so good when my body touches the water. I know that I have strength, but I dare not think too much, because many opponents are stronger than me, older and more experienced than me.But with fewer and fewer opponents, I told myself: One step closer to victory. In the end, when it was just me, I realized that I was the champion! Is this the champion he has been dreaming of?It's strange, I have designed various celebration actions before, like Sun Shuwei swung his fist vigorously like Sun Shuwei in the Olympics, but when the gold medal came, I only felt the trembling of victory, and I could only keep laughing silly.

At this time, Zhang Lian came over and analyzed and summarized the performance just now as usual, and I obediently prepared to bow my head and listen.Unexpectedly, with a sudden force, he pushed me into the pool. My first reaction was, I won the championship, why is Zhang Lian unhappy?Thinking about it again, it turned out that he was joking with me.This way of celebrating is even more special than I imagined! I smiled and climbed out of the water.Finally, I also hung a heavy gold medal around my neck, held flowers in my hand, and got a big trophy.I don’t remember how I got to the podium, I only know that standing on it, I saw many people I know and don’t know applaud, Zhang Lian is also accepting everyone’s congratulations, and he is everywhere, "I am treating you today!"

However, I did not participate in the carnival of Zhang Lian and other coaches.Back at the hotel, I called my parents to announce the good news, and then used the 600 yuan rewarded by Coach Zhang to go out for a walk, bought a lot of delicious snacks and came back to eat.Hubei's local products are famous all over the world, and it really deserves its reputation. Zhang Lian also said that after winning the championship, you can buy a gold necklace.But I was reluctant to buy a necklace, and then someone gave me a gold necklace.That was the first valuable item I ever owned.However, I don't wear gold necklaces a few times a year.

Later, Zhang Lian walked into my room and talked about "our" future and goals, "our" next step for the first time. "Now that you are the national champion, you should set a higher starting point. Our next goal is to strive to participate in the World Cup next year." At that time, there was a team competition in the World Cup. As long as you can be selected for the Chinese team's team, you will definitely be the world champion. From the national championship to the world championship, this is a height that I have never thought of before, and now it is listed as my next goal. "Can it do it?" I kept asking myself, and then I heard a firm answer: "Sure, even if Sun Shuwei participates in the national competition, I am not afraid!"

Since then, I have become more confident and dare to weave the dream of being a champion.