20 | Wednesday, August 4, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | DAILY SPORTS

OLYMPICS Captain fantastic Zhu can rebound from Tokyo tumble

Zhu Ting has arguably hit the low- tion were dashed ahead of that clash est point of her professional career. when easily overcame Beset by injuries, and with her Argentina 3-0, rendering the team’s confidence and performance level remaining two Group B matches on the wane, China’s captain was a meaningless. shadow of her former self as the defending Olympic champion Figurehead crumbled to a ninth-place finish in Zhu’s rise to prominence coincid- the women’s tournament ed with Lang’s reappointment as in Tokyo. Team China head coach in 2013. Three opening defeats saw China The 1.98-meter spiker can domi- fail to progress to the knockout nate at the net with her imposing stage — the team’s worst ever per- size and reach, but is also agile formance at an Olympics since mak- enough to stoop low on defense. The ing its debut at the 1984 Games. girl from Henan province combined With Zhu dropped to the bench, those rare talents with hard work China won its two remaining dead and determination to reach the rubbers. upper echelons of her sport. As one of her country’s two flag- Zhu’s first major international bearers, Zhu led the Chinese delega- competition came in 2014 when she tion into Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium led China to a runner-up finish at for the opening ceremony. The the world championship, before 26-year-old had been hoping to see winning the World Cup a year later. China’s Alex Hua Tian negotiates a fence on board Don Geniro during the individual eventing competition at the Tokyo the national flag raised once more In 2016, she was named MVP of on Monday. Hua finished in 25th place. REUTERS by leading her team to the highest the tournament as China grabbed podium. However an old wrist inju- Olympic gold in Rio. ry put a spanner in the works. “As the captain and figurehead of China’s opening 3-0 loss to Turkey China’s women’s volleyball team, was an ominous sign of things to the reigning Olympic champion, come, with a lackluster Zhu contrib- Zhu is one of the country’s biggest uting a meager four points. stars,” wrote Agence France-Presse Riding a wave of emotion After the match, a picture show- at the time. ing Zhu’s heavily bandaged wrist Some even rate Zhu as one of the went viral on Chinese social media. best volleyball players of all time, Alex Hua Tian ‘incredibly proud’ to make more history on horseback for China It was reported that the injury comparing her to Lang, who was the resulted from an accident in 2017, star of the 1984 Olym- when a conservative course of rehab pics when China also won gold. was chosen rather than surgery. “Lang and I are from different In the second match, Zhu’s condi- eras, which means different require- tion appeared to improve a little, ments on the court, so I still need to however her 18-point tally was not learn and do better,” said Zhu. enough to rescue China from a 3-0 A desire to keep learning is key to loss to the . Zhu’s progression. “The pain did affect me a lot in the After the success in Rio, she opener, I felt powerless when it moved abroad to join Turkish volley- hurt,” Zhu told Xinhua after the loss ball giant VakifBank. to the US. In three seasons with the Istan- Against the Russian Olympic bul-based club, Zhu won all of Committee team, Zhu managed 17 Europe’s major honors. points, but the injury appeared to be Off the floor, Zhu also broadened affecting her decision-making. her horizons studying for a Master’s Instead of going for her trademark degree in history at Beijing Normal power spikes, Zhu was opting for University. drop shots, while she also struggled “I am interested in history, so I with the defensive aspect of her wanted to learn more to enrich game. myself,” she said. Alex Hua Tian competes for China during the cross-country sec- Alex Hua Tian steers his horse during the dressage section of the After that defeat, head coach Perhaps down the line, China’s tion of the equestrian eventing competition at the Tokyo Olympic eventing competition at the Tokyo Olympics last Friday at Eques- Lang Ping admitted Zhu’s perform- Tokyo 2020 flop can also prove Games on Sunday. AP trian Park in Tokyo. AP ance was “heavily affected” by the enriching. As the saying goes, failure wrist problem. “We will consult with is the mother of success. Chinese Zhu and the medical staff to consid- volleyball fans will certainly hope By Shi Futian Tough sport, tough day. Not the end ment, what it means and despite er players who are in better shape,” this proves to be the case in Paris in [email protected] how difficult a year the world has Lang said of her plans for the next three years’ time. that I wanted individually but had, how important it remains to game against . Having made history for his incredibly proud to be part of the first so many people. To inspire this lev- China’s slim chances of qualifica- xinhua country at the unprecedented el of emotion inspires us. Thank Olympics in Tokyo, Chinese rider Chinese equestrian eventing team at an you to this volunteer for inspiring Alex Hua Tian had every right to be Olympics.” us all.” proud of his efforts — even if glory eluded him and his teammates on Alex Hua Tian, on his performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ‘Brighter future’ this occasion. For Sun and Bao, attending the On Monday, China’s four event- Tokyo Olympics was already a ing riders wound up their Olympic ished 35th and 37th respectively to “It’s very sad. But speaking for all dream come true. campaign by finishing a respecta- miss out on the final. the athletes, we totally understand “This is the first time that Team ble ninth in their first ever appear- Substitute rider Liang Ruiji did the reasons,” Hua added. China is able to attend the Olympic ance in the team competition, with not get a chance to compete but The Chinese Equestrian Associa- team eventing competition. This is Britain taking gold. still earned special praise from tion offered assistance to the riders just a start and I believe in a bright- In the individual competition, team leader Hu Biao. as best it could. “I have to say a huge er future for Chinese equestrian Hua was the only Chinese rider to “Due to the pandemic, Liang Rui- thank-you to the association for sport,” said Sun. the reach the final, finishing 25th ji was unable to come to Europe to their support, hard work and dili- “We have made history. I think on board Don Geniro, with whom train with his horse. So he let the gence in making sure we got to this all sports are the same. We may not he finished eighth at the Rio Olym- younger riders Bao Yingfeng and stage,” Hua told China Daily before get what we want even if we try, but pics. Sun Huadong replace him,” said heading to Tokyo. if we don’t even try, it’s certain we “Tough sport, tough day. Not the Hu. “Even though he did not com- Perhaps because of all those diffi- will achieve nothing.” end that I wanted individually but pete in Tokyo, he has been a vital culties, Hua was emotional when Bao was thrilled with his debut, incredibly proud to be part of the part of the team.” proceedings finally got underway saying: “My first Olympic journey first Chinese equestrian eventing in the Japanese capital. has ended in a perfect way. I have so team at an Olympics,” said Hua. Challenging times “Such a shame not to share the many things to say and so many “Don jumped the round of his life It has been an arduous journey to magic of an Olympic opening cere- people to thank. last night under the lights in the Tokyo for all the Chinese riders. In mony with a live audience — I will “Frankly speaking, the first time I Equestrian Park. However, I made May 2019, China’s eventers quali- always remember Rio as my first knew I was going to prepare for the a mistake with my distance to the fied for the team competition. opening ceremony and five years Olympics, I felt everything was too last fence and Don said, ‘Sorry, I However, in early 2020 the out- later, I can still feel the electricity far away, but I just chose to trust can’t jump from there!’ break of the COVID-19 pandemic from the atmosphere and hear the myself…The Tokyo Olympics has “Thankfully, I stayed on and fin- presented major logistical and trav- deafening roar from the crowd,” ended but my equestrian journey ished the course, although I cannot el problems to Hua and his team- Hua said of the opening night. has just started.” help but feel that I let Don down mates. “I may well remember tonight Sun, 30, only began riding a dec- when he was trying his hardest. It’s The postponement of the Olym- for different but even more heart- ade ago, when he first visited an me giving him a fright and even pics then left them mulling the warming reasons. This wonderful equestrian club with a friend. though he had used up everything conundrum of how to spend an volunteer was waiting at the end of After ranking last among all the he had in the first round. extra year preparing in the absence the tunnel entrance to the Olympic riders in his first competition in “They are such wonderful, gener- of international competitions. Stadium and burst into tears when 2013, a despondent Sun asked to ous animals. Gutted but thankful I When the time arrived to travel she saw us. quit the team, only for the team have a happy healthy partner trav- to Tokyo from their training bases “Just so overwhelmed by emo- leader to refuse his request. eling home — thank you, Don, for in Europe, complications involving tion. Her passion and patriotism “I remember my team leader told everything this week.” medical quarantine and the ship- touched us all and it was so honest me that I was still young and I still Hua made history at the Beijing ment of their horses were major that we didn’t know how to react at have chances. His words and that Games in 2008 when he became headaches. first! The head of the delegation trust continue to motivate me until China’s first equestrian Olympian “We were just so stressed about personally handed her a very rare this day. Those words have influ- at the age of 18, and remains the the paperwork,” Hua told Xinhua. Chinese pin, which athletes only enced my professional career and youngest eventer in Olympic “It has been a nightmare from get one each, and a lovely athlete changed my life.” history. beginning to end.” from the Chinese women’s water Now with Olympic experience After missing out on London Unlike previous Games, none of polo team gave her a new pack of under his belt, Sun is even more 2012, Hua bounced back to reach Hua’s family members or friends Team China face masks. determined to pursue his equestri- peers through the net during China’s Tokyo 2020 Group B Rio 2016. His teammates Bao Ying- could travel with him to Tokyo. This “Sadly that was all we were able an dreams and hopes to “encourage women’s volleyball match against the Russian Olympic Committee feng and Sun Huadong, who made time only his horse’s groom could to do at the time but I came away the next generation of Chinese team on July 29. With captain Zhu nursing a wrist injury, China fail- their Olympic debuts in Tokyo, fin- accompany him from London. thinking about the Olympic Move- riders”. ed to advance to the knockout stage at the Games. REUTERS