When Chen Longhai hid his face and wept, when Dai Qingyao fell to the ground to celebrate, and when Shen Qiong slipped on his knees to celebrate, the Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team was finally one step away from the champion of the National Games. Yesterday, Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team defeated Zhejiang Men's Volleyball Team 3-1 in the semifinals of the 14th National Games and returned to the final stage after 8 years.
After numerous final baptisms, the veterans of Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team will join hands with young players tonight and look forward to their dreams coming true.
Caption: In the final, Chen Longhai burst into tears. Photograph by Wang Jiabin
Behind the tears
At the moment when he walked off the court, 3-year-old Chen Longhai was in tears, and head coach Shen Qiong and assistant coach Lv Ningxin held him in their arms. I still remember the Tianjin National Games four years ago. In that game that hit the semi-finals, Chen Longhai became the last "card" of the team. After playing, he still couldn't help the team. In the end, the Shanghai men's volleyball team lost to the People's Liberation Army and missed the semi-finals. "Still want to win too much ..." Chen Longhai was remorseful at that time.
Caption: Shanghai Team Blocks Wang Jiabin Photo
Today, Dai Qingyao is the only one in Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team who has ever seen the Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team win the National Games trophy, which dates back to the 11th National Games 12 years ago. At that time, he was a small player and didn't have a chance to play. Since then, Dai Qingyao, Zhan Guojun, Chen Longhai and Zhang Zhejia have taken over the baton and become the mainstay of the team. How many four years can athletes wait for their career, and how eager they are to win the long-lost championship trophy for Shanghai men's volleyball team in the National Games. In the past four years, they have always struggled with injuries. Now, when victory is only one step away from them, Chen Longhai's tears are full of the same experiences and emotions.
Veteran's Will
Yesterday, Shen Qiong sent Dai Qingyao and Fu Houwen as the main attack, Zhang Zhejia and Chen Longhai as the auxiliary attack, to meet Wu Zhizhi, and set up the strongest lineup of Zhan Guojun and Qu Zongshuai as a free man, and never changed anyone from beginning to end. In the last National Games, he said that he had no choice but to change people. This time, he believed in the experience and will of the veteran.
Yesterday, after winning two games 28-26 and 25-19 in a row, the Shanghai men's volleyball team was in sight of victory, but it was unexpected that the Zhejiang men's volleyball team had a crazy counterattack from the third game. Throughout the third game, the Shanghai men's volleyball team had no advantage at all, and was always catching up with its opponents, losing a game by 21-25. In the fourth game, the momentum of Zhejiang men's volleyball team remained the same. At the crucial moment, the veteran stepped forward.
Caption: Dai Qingyao smashed Wang Jiabin vigorously. Photo
It's Dai Qingyao's turn. He kissed the ball with his eyes closed, and muttered, and sent a ball with a heavy potential and sharp angle, which destroyed his opponent's pass and blew the horn of counterattack from then on. Subsequently, Zhan Guojun's organization, Zhang Zhejia's block in the front row and Chen Longhai's attack were all in one go, and the Zhejiang men's volleyball team was completely unstoppable. After three consecutive balls, the Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team tied the score, but the opponent's mentality collapsed.
After the game, Shen Qiong praised: "I think several old players showed tenacious willpower at the critical moment, scored points voluntarily and had a strong desire to win. Teams that enter the semi-finals have good strength, which is the key ball and key points. At this point, the role of old players is very important, and they can play a role in stabilizing the morale of the army. Today, they resisted. "
the assistant of an old coach
As the saying goes, an old man in a family is like a treasure. In fact, the most experienced man in the Shanghai Men's Volleyball Team is the coach Shen Fulin, who led the team in the last two National Games.
At the age of 66, although he has retired to the second line, Shanghai volleyball still needs his "anchor needle". There is no doubt that Shen Qiong's growth in the coaching position in recent years is inseparable from the guidance and help of his mentor.
Caption: Photograph by Shen Fulin (front right) and Shen Qiong (front left) and Wang Xinyu
However, this is the first time that Shen Fulin came to the National Games men's volleyball arena as an assistant coach. He waved his hand and said modestly, "I'm here to cooperate with the head coach and do my job as an assistant coach." During the time-out, he will talk to the players face to face, return to the hotel, and talk to the players while eating and walking.
At this point in the game, Shen Fulin, who has always been unsmiling, praised the team this time: "Under difficult circumstances, everyone's style and will are very hard, which is really good!"
When talking about tonight's final, Shen Fulin said, "My expectation is that they will play their own level and strive for the best results." And head coach Shen Qiong said: "I believe that in the final, my players must be at their best."