Marksman Zhu back on track to Olympic glory
Marksman Zhu back on track to Olympic glory
08:35, December 08, 2009 
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He was once unbeatable, and once deep in sorrow. Now, he is back on track to repeat his Olympic glory.
"I think I have stepped up to a higher level," said Zhu Qinan, China's top male shooter, after firing an outstanding score of 105.1 points in the final round of the men's 10-meter air rifle hereon Monday.
The score assured him not only the first title of East Asian Games, but also great confidence for the future.
Back to five years ago, a 20-year-old Zhu never worried about his confidence.
He won six titles in a row in international competitions between 2004 and 2005, including the Athens Olympic Games and the World Cup Finals and thus was named "magic boy".
"I was really confident then," he said. "I had a kind of feeling that I could win everything if I really wanted to."
He described those sweet days as "standing on clouds", which was joyful but dangerous.
As the Beijing Olympics coming, he was still ignorant about the danger.
"I walked in the Athletes' Village, feeling like the gold medal was already on my neck until that day finally came."
He "lost" that gold medal due to a defective 10-shot final where he could hardly hit the center dot, collecting only 102.7points.
A silver medal was taken as a thorough failure by the reigning champion.
"I wanted so much for the gold medal, and this was not what I wanted," said Zhu on that day, weeping and choking.
In the following days, he was afraid of the word "lost" and had thought of retirement.
He kept himself away from rifles and shooting ranges for two months and then heard a deep sound in heart.
"I would not like to give up. I decided to fight another time." He said after being back to the training base in Beijing this Feburary.
Then he found himself eager to training, eager to run for the new goal, just like the feeling in his beginning days as a national shooter in 2003.
However, it was not easy to shake off the Olympic "nightmare". He claimed two World Cup titles in 2009 and won his first National Games individual gold, but the final round remained as a mysterious trouble.
"Sometimes I did well and sometimes did badly," he said after winning a fourth consecutive title in the Milan World Cup in May." The problem is, I cannot figure out the reasons of both conditions. I am still in dark, searching for a light."
Zhu finally saw the light before turning his 25th birthday in November.
The score of 105.1 points he made here at the East Asian Games was his best performance in the final round this year.
"I think I had a big step," said Zhu, missing out the final world record by only four tenths. "Now I am confident to have some new feelings and set some new scores in the final round."
"I have been back to training for about 10 days after the National Games, so I think it won't be so difficult for me to break the world record if I prepare well." He added.
Source: Xinhua
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2009-12/08/content_399974.htm
"I think I have stepped up to a higher level," said Zhu Qinan, China's top male shooter, after firing an outstanding score of 105.1 points in the final round of the men's 10-meter air rifle hereon Monday.
The score assured him not only the first title of East Asian Games, but also great confidence for the future.
Back to five years ago, a 20-year-old Zhu never worried about his confidence.
He won six titles in a row in international competitions between 2004 and 2005, including the Athens Olympic Games and the World Cup Finals and thus was named "magic boy".
"I was really confident then," he said. "I had a kind of feeling that I could win everything if I really wanted to."
He described those sweet days as "standing on clouds", which was joyful but dangerous.
As the Beijing Olympics coming, he was still ignorant about the danger.
"I walked in the Athletes' Village, feeling like the gold medal was already on my neck until that day finally came."
He "lost" that gold medal due to a defective 10-shot final where he could hardly hit the center dot, collecting only 102.7points.
A silver medal was taken as a thorough failure by the reigning champion.
"I wanted so much for the gold medal, and this was not what I wanted," said Zhu on that day, weeping and choking.
In the following days, he was afraid of the word "lost" and had thought of retirement.
He kept himself away from rifles and shooting ranges for two months and then heard a deep sound in heart.
"I would not like to give up. I decided to fight another time." He said after being back to the training base in Beijing this Feburary.
Then he found himself eager to training, eager to run for the new goal, just like the feeling in his beginning days as a national shooter in 2003.
However, it was not easy to shake off the Olympic "nightmare". He claimed two World Cup titles in 2009 and won his first National Games individual gold, but the final round remained as a mysterious trouble.
"Sometimes I did well and sometimes did badly," he said after winning a fourth consecutive title in the Milan World Cup in May." The problem is, I cannot figure out the reasons of both conditions. I am still in dark, searching for a light."
Zhu finally saw the light before turning his 25th birthday in November.
The score of 105.1 points he made here at the East Asian Games was his best performance in the final round this year.
"I think I had a big step," said Zhu, missing out the final world record by only four tenths. "Now I am confident to have some new feelings and set some new scores in the final round."
"I have been back to training for about 10 days after the National Games, so I think it won't be so difficult for me to break the world record if I prepare well." He added.
Source: Xinhua
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2009-12/08/content_399974.htm
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