Paris Olympics | Yang Liu: The weight of a silver medal
2024-08-10
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Paris, August 9 (Xinhua) (Reporters Le Wenwan and Zhang Baihui) After the award ceremony for the women's 66kg boxing at the Paris Olympics, Yang Liu walked into the mixed interview area with a silver medal hanging around her neck. "The silver medal is quite heavy, you can feel it," she said to the reporter with a smile. Above her bent eye was a bruise.
Yang Liu at the award ceremony on August 9. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang WenyaoYang Liu faced Algerian boxer Khalifa in the final. The latter's opponent retired less than a minute after the start of the first round. In the following rounds, Khalifa easily won 5:0 with the outstanding strength and penetration of his fists.
It was a tough battle. Khalifa's speed and strength were overwhelming, but Yang Liu did not give up. Yang Liu kept adjusting his pace and looking for opportunities to counterattack, but still lost the game 0:5.
Looking back on this final match of nine minutes and three rounds, Yang Liu said: "I basically played to my best, but there is still a little regret."
It took Yang Liu 17 years to get to the Olympic ring after starting boxing at the age of 15. After joining the national team, Yang Liu has been a sparring partner for nearly ten years. For her, the peak is just around the corner, but she is always a supporting role.
On October 5, 2023, in the women's 66kg boxing final at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Chinese athlete Yang Liu defeated Thai athlete Chanteng Suwannaphong to win the championship. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yan LinyunIt wasn't until the Paris cycle that Yang Liu got her chance. In 2023, she won the World Women's Boxing Championship and the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, earning her ticket to the Paris Olympics.
Although she was 32 years old when she first competed in an Olympic boxing match, Yang Liu felt that age was not a problem. "As long as you have the mentality to participate in the Olympics, you will always be young." She said that every experience in the past is her wealth, and as she gets older, she has more competition experience and a more stable mentality, which also allows her to perform better in the competition.
Han Bo, the leader of the Chinese boxing team, said that Yang Liu has always been troubled by injuries and physical problems. Sometimes she can't stand it and will cry to everyone to relieve stress, but after crying, she will still be 100% in training and quickly devote herself to training. "From a sparring partner to a main player, Yang Liu is a late bloomer. Her hard work, persistence and tenacity have brought her to where she is today."
Yang Liu (right) in the competition on August 9. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Wenyao"I am a person with a strong competitive spirit. Even if my opponent is stronger than me, I will want to see on stage where her strengths lie and then defeat her," said Yang Liu.
After stepping off the final ring, Yang Liu said: "In the Olympics, the pressure from all aspects is not experienced in ordinary competitions. This is also a way to gain experience. Although there are regrets, I also think it's good. My opponent also played very well today. There are some good techniques and fighting styles that are worth learning from."
"Next, I want to take a break. From the preparations for 2022 to now, I am still quite tired overall. After the Olympics, I will feel particularly tired when I relax." Yang Liu said, "If there is another opportunity, I also hope to fight again in the Olympic arena."
