[Tilu Exclusive Interview]The 2024 Paris Olympics will be held in 137 days, and many Hong Kong athletes are still working hard to catch the last train. The same goes for Hong Kong table tennis’s “big brother” Wong Chun-ting. Since the Hong Kong team lost the men’s team qualification earlier, “Arting” will have to appear in this world sports event for three consecutive years and can only rely on individual results to win tickets. When asked whether the Paris Olympics would be his last appearance on the international stage, which is held every four years, “Artin”, who will be 33 years old in September, admitted that it will be more difficult in four years, but he has no ability to predict it and will not go there for the time being. When I think about retiring, it is because there is still a wish that has not been fulfilled.
This time, “Ti Lu” met with “Atting” for an interview. It was on the eve of the Hong Kong table tennis team’s appearance in the Singapore Grand Slam and the day after it was confirmed that the men’s team had lost their qualification for the Olympics. It was completed at the Table Tennis Hall of the Sports Institute. “Ating” and his teammates have accepted the fact that they are out that day, and are concentrating on training and preparing for the competition as usual, preparing to participate in various major and small events to grab points to improve their world rankings and qualify for the Olympics.
Confident that I can catch the last train
The ideal thing is to try to obtain the qualification in April, which will make you feel more at ease.
There are 86 men’s singles seats and 16 mixed doubles seats in the Paris Olympics. According to the latest situation, “Ating” is currently ranked 38th in the men’s singles, and the mixed doubles with Du Kaiqin is ranked 6th. The qualifying situation is optimistic. When he analyzed the qualifying situation, he was also confident that he could compete in the Paris Olympics. He also said that the mixed doubles could be qualified as soon as next month: “There will be a mixed doubles qualifying tournament in the Czech Republic in April, and there will be 4 Olympic quotas. Me and ‘A’ Du is confident that he will be able to get a spot by then. In case he cannot get it, the world ranking will be used later.” He continued: “We have basically seen the information of each participating team, and Japan and South Korea have not signed up to participate. In this qualifying round, they should qualify for the Olympics based on their world rankings. If there are two teams there, our world rankings should be OK. The ideal thing is to try to qualify in April, which will be much more secure. As for The men’s singles Asian trials will be held in early May. It was originally in Thailand, but it seems to have been cancelled. The location has not yet been decided. Everyone has counted. If I don’t participate, there is a good chance that I can qualify directly in the world rankings.”
The fate of “Arting” and the Olympic Games began in London in 2012, but he was only a substitute at that time. He witnessed Tang Peng, Jiang Tianyi and current coaching staff member Liang Zhuen working together to win consecutively against Brazil and Japan, and later in the semi-finals. In the third place battle, they lost to South Korea and Germany. Four years later, “Atting” has become the main force of the Hong Kong team. However, he fought hard with Tang Peng and He Junjie in the men’s team until they lost to Japan in the top 8. He also lost to Takaki Niwa 3:4 in the men’s singles and stopped in the top 16. At the last Tokyo Olympics, “Atting”, Lin Zhaoheng, and He Junjie cooperated in the men’s team, but they were eliminated by France 0:3 in the first match. He went straight to the third round of the men’s singles, but lost to Chinese Taipei Zhuang Zhiyuan 1:4. He returned home without a victory.
However, “Ating”‘s life opened a new page after he turned 30. His daughter Kaiying was born in July last year. As a first-time father, he won the coveted men’s singles bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September. “Ating” admitted frankly that after fulfilling his dream of winning an Asian Games medal, he is only one Olympic medal away from his career and sees it as his next goal.
“Ating” realized his dream at the Hangzhou Asian Games. (Picture: Body Road Database)
(Picture: Body Road Database)
The Olympic dream is both far and near
I don’t think I have won it except the Olympics, but I have also won it in other competitions, so this is a big wish.
He described this Olympic medal dream as “both far and near”: “This Olympic (medal dream) is very long-term and very near. I believe that every athlete is the same. The biggest dream is to win a medal in the Olympics. I seem to In addition to the Olympics, I have won in other competitions, so this is a big wish. I hope to successfully qualify for the Olympics this time. If I perform well, because I am close to 33 years old, I will do my best and listen to fate. , just be yourself and I believe you will have good luck, and we will see how you perform when the time comes.”
As for whether the Paris Olympics will be his “last one”, “Artin” responded: “I was 30 years old in the last one and 33 now. I believe that both are the most suitable (to compete for medals). If this time If I miss it again, I will be 37 years old. It will be more difficult to compete with my ability at that time. Four years is too long, and I can’t predict whether I can do it by then, so I might as well think closer.”
Play your role well in the Hong Kong team
I hope that when I am in my 40s, I can maintain this level. I don’t need to be in the top 10 in the world rankings. It will be fine if I stay in the top 50.
Compared with table tennis powerhouses such as China, Japan, and South Korea, 32 may be the age to retire. When asked about “Ating’s” position in the Hong Kong team, he thought about it and said: “Ask yourself whether you are still competitive. I want to try to stay as competitive as possible.” Be competitive and play my role well in the Hong Kong team. The only thing I can do is to try to get cards, get good results, and try to maintain a high level of competition whether in a team or in singles. How long, I think, depends on the environment. If we are in some places where the level is not high, the lifespan may be higher. Just like Zhuang Zhiyuan, he can maintain that competitive state and level, which is my goal. I hope that when I When I am in my 40s, I can maintain this level. I don’t need to be in the top 10 in the world rankings. It’s fine if I stay in the top 50.”
The crux of the development of men’s table tennis in Hong Kong
Then he hit the nail on the head and pointed out the crux of the Hong Kong team: “Look at Niwa Takaki, who was born in 1994 in Japan, retired 2 or 3 years ago. Because they are very competitive, sometimes it is not about when you want to retire, or how much you want to fight. Years old. In this competitive sport, there should be a younger generation forcing you to quit. In our last session, Tang Peng was born in 1981, followed by Jiang Tianyi in 1987. That age group was discontinued for several years, and then to I am now in 1991, and then I went to Lin Zhaoheng in 1996, He Junjie in 1997, and then another 5 or 6 years, and then Chen Haohua and Yao Juntao in 2004, with another 7 or 8 years in between. I think this age gap is as big as possible. Don’t make the difference too big.” Wong Chun-ting believes that a large age gap is not good for the development of the Hong Kong team.
The overall level of the international table tennis team has increased in recent years. If we cannot catch up, it may be very difficult in the next few years.
“Reason? I think there are many factors. Although there are many people playing table tennis in Hong Kong now, if you really want to become a full-time athlete, you have to pay a lot of money and change your mentality. Not only the athletes themselves, but also the final The main reason is family support. This aspect is actually much better than before. The government and sports institutes are providing strong support, and the support is getting more and more. Because I am an athlete, we have personally experienced the situation of the table tennis team, especially our men’s team. In fact, With the world’s top teams, we have been unable to catch up, especially since the overall level of the international table tennis team has increased in recent years. If we cannot catch up, it may be very difficult in the next few years.”
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What path will we take after retreating? Will you become a coach? I have no idea.
Although he has said that he will play until he is 40 years old, “Arting” still hopes to see someone catch up: “For the time being, I will choose to continue. I hope there are a few men’s team with my level to impact, then we will The team will be very strong. My own plan is to keep myself at the same level. If I maintain this level, I am willing to continue playing.” He also laughed and said that he has not thought about his future after retirement: “Retire. How to take that path after that? Well! I really have to sit down and think about it. Will I become a coach? I don’t know, and I don’t know what the military commander and the coach think. I don’t know if I am good at teaching people. But I will be happy to share some things about my playing, some insights and opinions, and I do not rule out that I will be exposed to some table tennis work.” He believes that if he wants to be a coach, he must first understand it and get to the point. And you must have good expression and communication skills.
(Picture: provided by interviewee)
My daughter is like an opponent on the field testing herself.
You have to keep watching her the same way I watch my opponent on the court.
At the end of the interview, when her daughter Kaiying was mentioned, “Ating” immediately beamed: “Many people say that whether you give birth to a son or a daughter, you may have good luck, a second spring, or even a good wave. I don’t know if that’s true. , but this seems to be the fact now.” The father became more and more enthusiastic as he talked, and even more hilariously said that his daughter was constantly testing himself like an opponent on the field: “Her birth also brought me some reflection, like my opponent, She cries when she’s hungry, cries when she doesn’t get enough sleep, cries when she feels uncomfortable. Her crying can mean anything. Just like my opponent, she keeps crying when she wins. My opponent will keep giving me difficulties, and the same goes for my daughter. When she cries, she cries. You have to guess if she is hungry? Does she want to sleep? Is she uncomfortable somewhere? Maybe she needs to change a diaper? You have to keep observing her, just like I observe my opponent on the court. When the scene is on the spot, you have to react immediately to what is wrong with him. What kind of ball is threatening to him, how to make him uncomfortable, and how to win this game, I think they have something in common.”
(Picture: provided by interviewee)
Every parent wants to be a role model for their children, and they want their offspring to be proud of themselves. “Arting” does not rule out that he will continue to play. One of his purposes is to wait until Kaiying knows how to watch the game: “Although I can’t do it like LeBron James, his son almost has a chance to play in the NBA. He is still at the top level in the NBA. But I hope that when my daughter has her own thoughts, whether she sees her father playing on TV or in any way, I hope to set an example and let her feel it.”
(Picture: Body Road Database)
Wong Chun-ting has been elected as Hong Kong’s Outstanding Athlete (and Hong Kong’s Outstanding Male Athlete) three times in 2015, 2017 and 2021; the mixed doubles team formed with To Kai-chan has also been elected as Hong Kong’s Best Sports Team three times in 2015, 2017 and 2019. One of the winners.In this year’s “Cathay 2023 Hong Kong Outstanding Athlete Election”, he is competing for “Hong Kong Outstanding Male Athlete” and “Hong Kong’s Best Sports Team”. The public voting period will end at 11:59 pm on March 17, 2024. Everyone canOnline votingSelect the outstanding athletes in your mind.
Pictures and text: Vincent
This article is written by “Sportsroad“Originally published in “Table Tennis·Exclusive Interview｜My beloved daughter Kai Ying becomes the driving force and Huang Zhenting has not given up yet: play until the age of 40」
2024-03-11 04:01:02
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