文/五花肉

五環(huán)漫談 The Story of the Olympics

他強(qiáng)任他強(qiáng) 清風(fēng)拂山崗

The Power of China’s Table Tennis Spirit

文/五花肉

乒乓球被譽(yù)為中國(guó)的“國(guó)球”。在歷屆的乒乓球國(guó)際大賽中，最終的決賽往往成為中國(guó)球員的勝利會(huì)師，壟斷地位無人能撼。為了打破這一壟斷，國(guó)際乒聯(lián)不斷修改競(jìng)技規(guī)則和器材標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，希望能以此抵消中國(guó)隊(duì)的優(yōu)勢(shì)，增加比賽的懸念。

Table Tennis is called "national ball" in China. During the previous international table tennis events, Chinese table tennis players always sweep all medals in the final,which proves China's superpower status in table tennis. Meanwhile, ITTF has been constantly changing the rules and equipment to diminish China's advantages and offer the prospect of greater medal diversity.

“大球”逼退劉國(guó)梁Liu Guoliang was influenced by Bigger Ball

劉國(guó)梁，擁有11個(gè)世界冠軍頭銜。2002年，正值當(dāng)打之年的劉國(guó)梁宣布退役，讓許多人大跌眼鏡。

Liu Guoliang was a Chinese table tennis player who has won 11 titles at major world tournaments. However, in 2002, he announced his retirement when his career was still glorious, which surprised many people in the world.

這是因?yàn)楫?dāng)年國(guó)際乒聯(lián)修改球體標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，將原先直徑為38 mm的球變?yōu)?0 mm。這種俗稱的“大球”，直徑增加了2 mm，重量卻只從2.5 g變?yōu)?.72 g。由于重量增幅小于體積增幅，從而導(dǎo)致球速變慢、旋轉(zhuǎn)減弱，而劉國(guó)梁的技術(shù)特點(diǎn)正是以擊球速度見長(zhǎng)，影響巨大，只能無奈提前退役。

This was all because ITTF changed the ball rule. The previous 38 mm balls were replaced by 40 mm balls. The ball's diameter increases 2 mm, but the weight only increases from 2.5 g to 2.72 g, which effectively slows down the ball's speed and decreases the ball's spin. However, Liu Guoliang's playing style was fast. This rule change influenced Liu Guoliang a lot, which make him decide to take an early retirement.

這一標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的修改，對(duì)一直講究快速的中國(guó)球員不利，卻對(duì)力量更足的歐洲選手有利。球體標(biāo)準(zhǔn)修改后，我國(guó)乒乓球隊(duì)革新訓(xùn)練標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，馬琳、王勵(lì)勤等新生代球員崛起。2008年北京奧運(yùn)會(huì)，中國(guó)乒乓球隊(duì)實(shí)現(xiàn)金牌大滿貫，甚至包攬了男單和女單項(xiàng)目中的金銀銅牌，令世界乒壇為之震撼。

This rule change was a bad news for the Chinese table tennis, but brought advantages to European players who have more physical strength than Chinese. After amending the ball rule, Chinese table tennis team innovated the training standard, a new generation of table tennis players, such as Ma lin and Wang Liqin were rising at that time. Chinese team completed the first clean sweep of table tennis gold medals, and even swept all the gold, silver and bronze medals of men's singles and women's singles in 2008 Beijing Olympics, which shocked the world.

用實(shí)力戰(zhàn)勝規(guī)則Overcome the Challenge of New Rule

數(shù)年之后，國(guó)際乒聯(lián)再次出招。2009年國(guó)際乒聯(lián)執(zhí)委會(huì)上，以14票贊成1票反對(duì)的絕對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)通過一項(xiàng)提案——2012年倫敦奧運(yùn)會(huì)乒乓球單項(xiàng)比賽，每個(gè)國(guó)家的參賽名額標(biāo)準(zhǔn)由原來最多三人改為每項(xiàng)最多兩人。

Several years later, ITTF planed another intervention. In 2009, the ITTF Executive Committee voted 14-1to pass a proposal, allowing only two players instead of three players per country to take part in each table tennis single event.

這次規(guī)則修改，相當(dāng)于直接砍掉中國(guó)隊(duì)整體實(shí)力的三分之一，“三保險(xiǎn)”變?yōu)椤半p保險(xiǎn)”。得知消息后，已經(jīng)升任中國(guó)隊(duì)主教練的劉國(guó)梁很氣憤，“比賽是要靠成績(jī)說話的，而不是用規(guī)則?！盩his rule change forced Chinese table tennis team to reduce one third of overall strength, which lowered the possibility of getting the gold medal. After hearing the news, Liu Guoliang, who was promoted to the head coach of the Chinese national table tennis team was very indignant. "Competition result is decided by the performance not the rule", he said.

2012年8月8日，中國(guó)隊(duì)包攬倫敦奧運(yùn)會(huì)乒乓球項(xiàng)目所有金牌；2016年8月18日，中國(guó)隊(duì)再次囊括里約奧運(yùn)會(huì)乒乓球四金。中國(guó)隊(duì)用實(shí)力戰(zhàn)勝了對(duì)手、戰(zhàn)勝了自己，也戰(zhàn)勝了不斷修改的賽事規(guī)則。

August 8th，2012，Chinese table tennis team swept all the table tennis gold medals in London Olympics. Four years later, August 18th, 2016, this dream team completed another successive clean sweep of table tennis gold medals in Rio Olympics. They beat opponents, conquer themselves and overcome the challenge of rule change.

結(jié) 語(yǔ)Conclusion

不管外部條件如何變化，國(guó)球乒乓總是能夠在最短的時(shí)間里適應(yīng)新標(biāo)準(zhǔn)、繼續(xù)保持領(lǐng)先，似高高聳立的山崗，巋然不動(dòng)。

No matter how external conditions are changing, Chinese table tennis team can always adapt to the new standards in the shortest possible time and keep the leading position, which is as still as a hill .

（支持單位：上海市質(zhì)量和標(biāo)準(zhǔn)化研究院）