Yang Shaohui after the men's marathon.
In this Paris Olympics, the goal Yang Shaohui has set for himself is to surpass the Tokyo Olympics, challenge himself, and strive for a better Olympic ranking. In today's men's marathon, we can clearly understand Yang Shaohui's thoughts, that is, he is not afraid of failure, and he will not regret it until he fights hard. The terrifying pace of 3 minutes and 05 seconds in the first 15 kilometers allowed us to truly see Yang Shaohui's "not afraid of running" Collapse, not afraid of failure" brave style.
Last March, Wuxi marathon , He Jie won the championship with a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and broke the national record set by Ren Yunlong in 2007. Yang Shaohui, who won the runner-up in 2 hours, 7 minutes and 49 seconds, also opened the door that had been blocked for 16 years and also reached the performance standards for the men's marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. But Yang Shaohui’s highlight moment came at the Fukuoka Marathon on December 3, 2023. He ran a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 09 seconds, improving the national record set by He Jiexin by another 21 seconds, and Yang Shaohui also became the only one in the country. Athletes who hit "207" twice.
"Seven or eight years ago, I never thought about making a difference in the marathon. But after representing China in the Doha World Championships in 2018, I discovered that the marathon can make me better." As Yang Shaohui gradually fell in love with marathons, his performance also improved subtly, from fifth or sixth place in the competition to finishing in the top three more and more times. Just when everything was going well, a sudden blow almost made him leave the game he loved. In 2020, Yang Shaohui, who was fully preparing for the competition, suddenly suffered from kidney stones. The severe pain forced him to undergo surgery. After the operation, he rested for 42 days. "In the marathon event, if you don't practice for more than 40 days, you may have to start all over again. I was very anxious at the time, because when I resumed training, I couldn't even run Zhang Deshun and other female team members, and I felt like I couldn't run anymore. "However, it was his strong belief that "you will know you can't do it unless you try it" that Yang Shaohui gritted his teeth and regained his form in just three weeks. At the Nanjing Marathon held at the end of the same year, his unexpected performance allowed him to return. Gain confidence.
After experiencing a difficult transformation, Yang Shaohui suddenly woke up. Like most Chinese players, he used to value "stability" more and "was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stand up in the end, so he had to save his energy from the beginning." But now Yang Shaohui pursues breakthroughs in performance and his own limits, "from firing a gun to The moment you feel uncomfortable, you will start to go all out. If you feel uncomfortable, you will grit your teeth and push through. If you really feel overwhelmed, try again next time."
Regarding today’s competition, Yang Shaohui expressed his feelings: “In the first 15 kilometers, we at least let the world see the Chinese athletes. Compared with the Tokyo Olympics, I am more mature in all aspects, and I want to prove it in Paris. Facing the top athletes in the world, I have to show that Chinese athletes are not afraid of strong opponents and dare to fight. "Yang Shaohui did it. Now that he is 32 years old, he is more fearless and his playing style on the court is more free and confident. As he himself said, "I have failed too many times, so I am not afraid of failure. Even if I don't run well this time, I am not afraid of trying again next time."
Yunnan Net Special Correspondent Lou Ying Paris Special Correspondent
