news

한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

At midnight on August 5, Beijing time, the Paris Olympic women's basketball group stage ended with the French women's basketball team losing to the Australian women's basketball team in the last group stage match. Although the Chinese women's basketball team won a big victory over Puerto Rico in the last round, they still failed to qualify for the quarterfinals due to the disadvantage of net points and unfortunately stopped in the group stage. For the Chinese women's basketball team, which finished fifth in the last Olympics and won many honors such as the World Cup runner-up, Asian Cup champion, and Asian Games champion during the Paris Olympic cycle, the result of failing to qualify in the group stage was too bitter.

▲Han Xu defends in the group match between China and Puerto Rico. Photo courtesy of Visual China

As one of the team's inside pillars, Han Xu played for a total of 37 minutes and 27 seconds in the three games of this Olympics, and scored 29 points with 21 shots. Affected by injuries, her performance still cannot satisfy all fans. Before coming to France to report on this Olympics, the reporter went to Han Xu's home in Shijiazhuang and talked with her parents about Han Xu's experience from childhood to adulthood. At the end of the interview, the reporter invited Han Xu's mother Chen Zhiping to write a letter to her family, leaving the parents' thoughts to the player Han Xu and their daughter Han Xu...

"Before we were ready to have a baby, we often talked about this. Whether it was a boy or a girl, we would definitely let him continue to pursue his career in basketball."

Han Xu's father Han Fashun is 2.07 meters tall, and his mother Chen Zhiping is 1.82 meters tall. They both sit upright on the sofa at home, giving reporters a sense of oppression. But when they talk about their children, their words and eyes are full of pride.

▲Han Xu's parents were interviewed by Red Star News

During the one-hour conversation, the couple talked about everything from before they got married to the present, covering a span of 25 years, but the topic did not extend beyond their daughter Han Xu. After the chat, Chen Zhiping wrote a letter to her family and told the reporter to hand it to her daughter Han Xu in person at the Olympic Games. Han Fashun stood by the window next to the desk, sometimes looking at the court in the park outside the window, and sometimes looking at Han Xu's room...

"First of all, mom and dad want to say thank you for your hard work, our baby!"

Five crowns in one year and a brand new room

After winning five championship titles in 2023, Han Xu said in an interview with Red Star News at the Hangzhou Asian Games that her "battery" was almost empty. After today, the WCBA league, women's basketball Olympic qualifiers, Olympic preparations and competitions that have been interspersed since the beginning of the year have also temporarily come to an end.

The reporter went to interview Han Xu in her new home in Shijiazhuang on July 11. At that time, Han Xu's father Han Fashun was preparing to pack up and board the train to Beijing the next day to see his daughter off when the Chinese women's basketball team set off for the Paris Olympics.

In fact, this year, Han Fashun and his wife Chen Zhiping have seen their daughter more often. The third game of the WCBA League Finals at the beginning of the year was held at the home court of the Inner Mongolia team. The reporter followed the Sichuan Yuanda Meiluo Women's Basketball Team and witnessed the team defeat a strong opponent away from home to win the championship. At the celebration banquet after the game, the players and their families had a lot of fun.

For athletes, this is a rare family happiness. Why is it rare? Let me put it this way, when the reporter went to Han Xu's new home in Shijiazhuang, Han Xu had never stayed in his room for even a night.

"I hope she can stay at home for a while after returning from Paris." Chen Zhiping muttered.

After finishing the Paris Olympics, Han Xu may have time to return to her own cabin to sleep for a few nights and look at the starry sky ceiling main light that her parents specially selected for her.

▲Han Xu's parents

In the corridor outside the house, there is a wall of honor reserved by Han Xu's parents for storing various competition trophies, certificates and photos. Although the Chinese women's basketball team did not perform well in the Paris Olympics, there is still unlimited space for the stories of Han Xu and other women's basketball players...

A 9-pound baby went to Beijing to take the imperial examination at the age of 11

"Before we were ready to have a baby, we often talked about this. Whether it was a boy or a girl, we would definitely let him continue to pursue his career in basketball."

Han Xu was born on October 31, 1999. For Han Fashun and Chen Zhiping, who had already planned a career path for their child, this day was both lucky and difficult. After all, a child weighing about 20 pounds at birth was destined to have an extraordinary future.

"Static talent" is the compliment the world gives to this gift today.

"She was just beginning to understand things at that time, and should have been able to remember things, around the age of four," Han Fashun recalled an interesting incident when Han Xu was in kindergarten. "At that time, I was invited to the kindergarten to teach everyone how to play basketball, and she proudly told her classmates, 'This is my dad.'"

As he recalled the past, Han Fashun, who usually keeps a serious face, smiled slightly. "I feel very proud."

But because of her talent, Han Xu, who had grown to about 1.5 meters in the second grade, was sent to a sports school. When Han Xu was about to enter junior high school at the age of 11, Chen Zhiping's teammate and best friend's child was training in the Ma Yuehan class (sports specialty class) of Tsinghua High School Affiliated to Tsinghua University, so she recommended Han Xu to go there as well.

"We thought that she could study and play at the same time," Han Fashun said. "Especially when you reach a certain level of high level, you have to use your brain, so that's why we let her go to Tsinghua High School."

Han Xu left her hometown at the age of 11. Although she is doing well in her studies and training in Beijing, she still needs her parents' company. "At the beginning, because she is really too young and has never left her parents, I was a little worried. She has not yet developed the ability to take care of herself in terms of food and accommodation." Chen Zhiping said that she would go to Beijing every week and take her out to play on weekends, "eat something delicious, eat her favorite food, and wash her clothes."

Cross-ocean "fighting companion" and the simplest home-cooked dishes

Since 2018, Han Xu has officially stepped out of school and started his professional career in the WCBA. Today, the trophy for the best new player in the 2018-19 WCBA league is still on the wall of honor at home.

In 2018, she won the gold medal in the Jakarta Asian Games shortly after being selected for the national team. Later, she scored 20 points and 5 rebounds against the United States in the Women's Basketball World Cup, helping the Chinese women's basketball team create the smallest loss margin of 12 points against the United States.

It was because of her outstanding performance and great potential that Han Xu was selected by the WNBA team New York Liberty at the 14th pick in the first round a year later. Because of her height, Han Xu attracted the attention of the American media and was linked to Yao Ming.

Han Xu was generous in her praise of Yao Ming: "He is a role model, someone who paved the way for us, someone I can learn how to face challenges." But she then added: "But he is Yao Ming, and I am Han Xu."

▲Han Xu in the WNBA game. Photo courtesy of Visual China

For a 20-year-old girl, going to the other side of the ocean and facing the challenges of a different cultural environment and professional atmosphere, Han Fashun and Chen Zhiping chose to "fight together" across the ocean.

"She passed away half a month ago, and we stayed there for about two months," Han Fashun said. "We mainly took care of her three meals a day. We went to watch her home games, but we didn't go to training or away games because we didn't want to disturb her."

Chen Zhiping added: "Because we were also professional athletes before, we are not particularly skilled in cooking, so we just make simple dishes like scrambled eggs with tomatoes and stewed beef, which are the simplest meals."

The smell of stove smoke is what soothes the heart of a traveler the most.

The best daughter and the best champion

The past few years have been a critical period for Han Xu's career, and being apart from her family has become a normal part of her life. On one hand, she is playing for the New York Liberty and Sichuan Yuanda Meilo Women's Basketball League, and on the other hand, she is flying back and forth around the world wearing the national team's uniform.

"Especially in 2022, the flight time from the United States to Dubai and then to Australia is more than 30 hours."

Han Fashun cited the example of the Chinese women's basketball team participating in the 2022 World Cup. In that tournament, the girls won the runner-up, only losing to the American women's basketball team. But behind the scenes, Han Xu and all the other players paid far more than they received.

As the interview drew to a close, Han Fashun and Chen Zhiping encouraged Han Xu, hoping that the Chinese women's basketball team could "dare to fight and fight" in the Paris Olympics. They said, "If (the Chinese women's basketball team) plays to their own level, the results will not be bad." Then Chen Zhiping added, "It's good as long as there are no regrets."

At the end of the interview, it came to the part of writing a letter home to Han Xu. Chen Zhiping stood up and went into the room and took out a thick notebook.

"Your aunt finished the draft last night and wrote it all night long," said Han Fashun.

Hearing this, Chen Zhiping said to the reporter: "Help me see if this is okay?"

In fact, in the interview, Han Fashun and Chen Zhiping both said that they usually watch the performance of the women's basketball team and the evaluation of everyone and Han Xu through TV broadcasts and news reports. Perhaps during the low period, they also saw the outside world's doubts and criticisms of Han Xu and the Chinese women's basketball team.

▲Chen Zhiping wrote a letter to her daughter Han Xu

Although there may be references to compare skills and performance, love for children is equally great in this world. Below is the letter that Chen Zhiping wrote to Han Xu, which is the most sincere and warm expression of a champion mother.

Dear baby daughter: When you see this letter, the intense game should be over! First of all, mom and dad want to say to you, thank you for your hard work, our baby! We are honored and proud that we have such an outstanding daughter like you who can represent the country on the journey to the Olympics. Mom and dad, including fans from all over the world, are cheering for your hard work in every game, and are moved to tears by the spirit of the Chinese women's basketball team you have shown - fearless Jinlan, daring to fight and fight. This spirit is more precious and dazzling than any medal. At this moment, no matter what the result of the game is, you are the best athletes and the best champions in our hearts. Thank you for the joy and pride you bring to us! The road ahead is still long, and we believe that you will continue to move forward confidently with this glory and experience, persistence and courage, and shine more brightly in every arena in your life. Mom and dad will always love and support you! Mom July 11, 2024

Red Star News reporter Pei Han reports from Paris, France, photojournalist Liu Haiyun

Editor Zhang Xun Responsible Editor Feng Lingling