Tears from 13 years ago came to my face.
Xinhua News Agency, Hangzhou, September 26th Title: Tears came to my face 13 years ago-after China men’s football team lost in the semi-final.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Ji Jiadong
The defeat in Doha 17 years ago was repeated in Hangzhou, and the opponent was still the Korean team, or the semi-final.
"The first kick-off of tomorrow’s game is very important. If the China team picks it up, it will win. If it doesn’t pick it up well, the South Korean team will have a chance." On the evening of 25th, the reporter dialed Liu Kai’s telephone and asked the elder who won the bronze medal in the 2006 Doha Asian Games, and got such a key message.
Sure enough, in the men’s rugby sevens semi-final of the Hangzhou Asian Games on 26th, the Korean team went straight to the China team’s touchdown line with the first kick-off. They tortured the nerves of the China audience with four touchdowns in more than seven minutes, and the score of 24:0 at half-time surprised everyone. The tension of China players is very obvious, and they have lost their sharpness and self-confidence in previous games, and even dropped forward in their own touchdown zone (in rugby sevens, you can’t pass forward with your hands and the ball can’t land forward), giving the South Korean team a touchdown opportunity at hand.
The reporter couldn’t hold back his anxiety and bit his collar to watch the game. The cheers in the stands behind him are getting louder and louder. A child of about two years old has been screaming "Come on, China", even if all the audience are tired, they have not stopped.
In the second half, Li Haitao’s touchdown saved some face, and veteran Ma Chong scored an additional shot. People seem to see a chance to even, but time, a ruthless killer, doesn’t think so. At 7:36, the game is over.
The reporter bowed his head and walked quickly into the mixed interview area. I didn’t want to interview them, just wanted to stand beside these fighters who had been in melee. After simply thanking the audience, the players quickly walked back to the dressing room.
The Doha Asian Games in 2006 was Liu Kai’s heart, and China lost to the Korean team in the semi-final. Although he finally defeated China Taibei in the bronze medal match, he always felt that China could at least win the silver medal. After returning home, Liu Kai wrote a summary of more than 8,000 words, and later he posted these experiences on his own WeChat WeChat official account.
What he never forgets is the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. "I still feel very sorry." Liu Kai said on the phone, "We lost to the South Korean team again in the bronze medal battle. The expression of old teammate He Zhongliang appeared on TV. At that moment, I was sad and couldn’t help crying. I was in the court office." In 2009, after graduating from China Agricultural University with a master’s degree, Liu Kai temporarily left football and entered the court after passing the judicial examination.
He Zhongliang is the first rugby player in China to participate in an overseas professional league. In 2001, he and Liu Kai were selected for the China Sevens rugby team, and together they created the beginning of this national team.
"In order to participate in the Asian Games, He Zhongliang gave up the contract of the Japanese League at that time." Liu Kai said, "He is the most difficult among those athletes."
On the subway to the venue on the morning of 26th, the reporter sent a message to He Zhongliang: "Is there anyone in the team who played with you now?" He replied: "Ma Chong and I played in the National Games together, and there are several old players I have taken with them. Ma Chong is the third Asian Games, and I hope he can finish his career with good results. "
Once again, at home, South Korea, the nightmare of the past took care of today’s reality.
Back in the media workshop, the reporter said to Liu Kai, "I saw Ma Chong today and I felt the same way as you did at that time." Liu Kai replied: "Yes, that’s the smell."
Seeing the reporter’s wet eyes, the Korean reporter sitting opposite asked, "Are you okay?"
"I am disappointed, but congratulations, your tactics are very successful." Finally, I couldn’t help it. Two tears fell on the keyboard.
"Liu Kai’s tears fell on my face." For an instant, the reporter remembered this sentence. (End)
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