Title: National Swimming Team Completes Military Training, Sets Sights on Paris Olympics
Subtitle: Athletes and coaches vow to achieve greater success in upcoming Olympics
Date: October 18, 2023
Author: Zhou Xingao Meng
Beijing, China – The national swimming team has concluded its intensive military training program and is now determined to achieve greater success at the Paris Olympics. The training aimed to enhance the team’s national defense concept, improve combat effectiveness, and instill a solid soldier’s mentality among the athletes.
Following their outstanding performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where they secured 28 gold medals, 21 silvers, and 9 bronzes, the Chinese swimming team embarked on a military training program that began on October 10. The comprehensive training involved a range of physical exercises, military drills, and ideological and political education.
The training regimen included military physical boxing, three-tones and three-tones events, queue classes, grappling, and laser simulation shooting. These activities aimed to strengthen the athletes’ resolve, enhance their physical fitness, foster political awareness, improve organizational discipline, and transform the team’s style.
At the graduation ceremony from the military training program on October 17, the swimming team members marched in unison, passionately shouting slogans reflecting their shared goals. The athletes expressed their commitment to create greater glory at the Paris Olympics.
Olympic champion Wang Shun, who broke the Asian record in the men’s 200-meter medley at the Hangzhou Asian Games, shared his experience of the military training. He acknowledged the changes in this training compared to previous ones and emphasized the importance of mental focus and preparedness for the upcoming Olympics. Shun highlighted that the training also enhanced their military literacy.
Ye Shiwen, the “double champion” of the London Olympics, found learning military boxing to be her biggest challenge during the training. Despite the difficulty in memorizing the movements, Shiwen noted that the training had been rewarding. It strengthened their determination and unity as a team, empowering them to commit wholeheartedly to the winter training.
Yu Yiting, a promising teenager from Zhejiang who took over the women’s medley relay baton from Shiwen, praised the training for its valuable lessons in formation, military physical boxing, and national defense concepts. Yiting believed that these experiences would greatly benefit her preparation for the Paris Olympics.
Li Bingjie, a master of women’s middle and long-distance freestyle, described her experience of laser shooting as unforgettable. She drew parallels between laser shooting and swimming, highlighting the importance of concentration and focus in both disciplines.
Xu Jiayu, the backstroke world champion, noted that the military training allowed him to develop an iron will similar to that of soldiers. He believed that this would help him cope with competition-related pressure and emphasized the importance of confidence, self-discipline, courage, and perseverance in achieving their dreams.
Coach Cai Li emphasized the significance of the military training in rallying the team for the final winter training leading up to the Paris Olympics. Li expressed confidence in their ability to overcome challenges and obstacles, urging the team to remain united in pursuit of their common goal.
With their military training concluded, the national swimming team is now fully focused on their upcoming preparations for the Paris Olympics. Their determination to achieve greater success is unwavering, and they are eager to showcase their improved skills and resilience on the international stage.