the 96-year-old first marathon champion of new china: passing on the spirit of sports
2024-09-13
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xia qiyu (center), sun qian, president of jiangsu track and field association (left)
"thank you very much for remembering me and coming to see me." on september 13, when xia qiuyu, the first marathon champion of new china, tightly held the hand of sun qian, president of the jiangsu track and field association, the 96-year-old man said excitedly: "i am really happy that a new generation of jiangsu track and field athletes will continue to work hard for the development of jiangsu marathon and jiangsu track and field."
on november 24, 1957, nanjing hosted the first clearly recorded standard distance marathon after the founding of new china. it was this race that not only made nanjing the birthplace of the new china's marathon movement, but also made xia qiuyu, who won the first place in this race with a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes and 40 seconds, become the first marathon champion of new china and set the "first national marathon record of new china".
"the competition conditions back then were much worse than they are now." xia qiuyu, wearing a nanjing marathon commemorative suit, recalled the days when he was with the marathon and opened up to the staff of the provincial athletics association and reporters. "back then, we didn't have the competition equipment we have now. the competition was on a cobblestone road. there were no road closures like now. at that time, cars came and went on the road, and spectators gathered on the side. if it wasn't like that, maybe my results would be even better."
the state sports commission awarded xia qiuyu the national first-class athlete certificate that year
in xia qiuyu's memory, the marathon races back then were very different from those now. but what has not changed is that he, like many marathon enthusiasts who participate in the race now, joined the marathon runners as an ordinary person because of his love for sports and the desire to keep fit. "at that time, in order to train myself, i sometimes ran after the bus and ran all the way to xiaguan zhongshan wharf. but because it had to wait for traffic lights and i didn't, i ran faster than it." recalling the training scene of that year, xia lao smiled unconsciously.
it is worth mentioning that, despite being 96 years old, xia qiuyu insisted on going to the park not far from his home every day for a walk and exercise until he was hospitalized for health reasons. in his own words, he used to run in order not to be the "sick man of east asia" and for the "chinese marathon". now he runs marathons to improve his physical fitness and win glory for the motherland. "now that i see such a group of motivated and responsible people in the jiangsu track and field association, i think jiangsu track and field and marathon projects will get better and better. i also hope that under the leadership of the jiangsu track and field association, more young people can pass on our sports spirit."
"this visit to the old man is our association's tribute to such a legendary figure." sun qian, president of the jiangsu track and field association, told reporters that there are more and more marathon events in jiangsu, which are attracting the attention of runners from all over the country and even the world. at the same time, the jiangsu track and field association is also committed to creating a better environment and conditions for the development of jiangsu track and field projects in the whole society. "mr. xia's expectations are also the goal of our work. we hope that with the wishes and expectations of the older generation, we can continue to contribute more to jiangsu track and field."
yangzi evening news/ziniu news reporter huang xiyin
proofread by xu heng
