By Sportswriter Yan Hao
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Before tonight, none of Chinese won an Olympic gold medal after she had a baby and none of Chinese judokas had ever successfully defended an Olympic title.
Xian Dongmei, 33, broke the jinx on Sunday night.
The Chinese judoka, who experienced countless ups and downs but never gave up, got married in 2002 but held her wedding ceremony in 2004 when she brought home an Olympic gold medal from Athens. She gave birth to her daughter in early 2007. No one had expected her revival in
Beijing this year.
Xian Dongmei of China displays her gold medal on the podium after defeating An Kum Ae of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea during the women-52 kg final of judo at the
Beijing Olympics in Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008.(Xinhua Photo)
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"If no one expects me to do something, I will order myself to do something,"
Xian claimed her first title with this motto in Athens where she thought maybe her last Olympic trip.
Four years later, summoned by the national team,
Xian decided to return as a reason to "find out whether I still have the ability to compete." "It is very common for judokas from other countries to continue their career with families, but in China I am probably the only mama judoka for the moment,"
Xian said.
"Although my daughter has not bothered me when I was preparing for the Games in Beijing, I owe my daughter and my husband a lot,"
Xian said, hoping the second Olympic gold medal could be a present for her 18-month-old child.
Xian competed with a calm and decisive mentality on Sunday evening. Smiles were the only image one could read from her face.
Xian Dongmei of China is lifted by her coach after she defeats An Kum Ae of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea during the women -52 kg final of judo at the
Beijing Olympics in Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008.
Xian Dongmei gained the gold medal of the event.(Xinhua Photo)
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The quarterfinal, rather than semifinal or final, was the most difficult moment for Xian. She lost a yuko in the first minute to Portuguese Telma Monteiro, silver medalist of the world championships last year. She returned a koka at 3:52, still going to lose. The mama judoka ipponed only 45 seconds to go with his coach's desperate instruction besides.
When the whole gymnasium packed with Xian's supporters hailed "Go ahead!
Xian Dongmei" in the final, seldom knew that she had suffered from an injury in the knees in which two steel nails are still there. She went to congratulate every other medalist before stepped onto the top podium at the medal-awarding ceremony.
Xian has been in good form on tatami since she won two titles of World Cup just before the
Beijing Games in 2008, losing 11kg body weight within three months.
Xian Dongmei (blue) of China competes with Soraya Haddad of Algeria during the women-52 kg semifinal of judo at the
Beijing Olympics in Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008.
Xian Dongmei won the match.(Xinhua Photo)
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"I don't mind the result too much. I would not come back to the arena if I think about gold medal everyday," she said.
Giving surprise to her coach Fu Guoyi,
Xian beat teammates Shi Junjie, world champion in 2007, and Li Ying, world champion in 2005, at domestic trial to book a convincing ticket en route to winning the Olympic gold on Sunday.
Being worried about her physical strength due to the age,
Xian said she has no problem with the endurance during the competition because what actually tested her competence was the long-term training after retirement.
Coach Fu said that
Xian was building up her mentality gradually with one game and another. "She has restored to almost the same level in Athens," Fu added.
In the first two years of her professional sports training from the age of 13,
Xian practiced Chinese wrestling which "has given some advantages by using one of its techniques in the competition."
"Today, every duel for
Xian was very tough and I think she is definitely one of the best players in the competition," said Rui Rosa, coach of Telma Monteiro, after
Xian beat Monteiro in quarter-final.
"I think every judoka came to the Olympic Games is hard to defeat,"
Xian said. "But I could find their weaknesses and grasp the opportunity."
Xiong Fengshan, vice judo team manager of China, said Xian's victory was a perfect blending of rich experience, good formality and excellent mentality.
"To fufill this dream of wining the title again, we have made countless plans and preparations," coach Fu said with tears after the match.
