The eight-year-old birthday present that sparked a decades-long athletic journey
On June 9, 1963, an eight-year-old boy received a basketball from his father on his birthday, according to a report by wenxuecity.com.
That unexpected gift launched a lifelong association with the sport that spanned coaching, training, and athletic competition across decades.
Daily practice sessions at Baoer Elementary School followed each school day. By the time school suspensions began during the Cultural Revolution, the sport had become a steady fixture in his daily routine.
From remote mountain isolation to the No. 4 High School championship squad
Following his family’s relocation to a remote mountain village, basketball offered mental relief amid isolation and dashed hopes, wenxuecity.com reported. Upon returning to the city two years later, his playing background secured him a spot on the No. 4 High School basketball team.
During his two years at No. 4 High School, the team maintained the city-wide middle school championship title. After graduation, he returned to the countryside in Subaitun Brigade, Xingcheng County, where county sports officials appointed him coach at a youth sports school after just three months.
Teachers soon noticed his exceptional jumping ability, drawing him into track and field events as well, wenxuecity.com reported.
He won triple jump and all-around titles at the Jinzhou middle school games and later broke the Jinzhou high jump record at 1.81 meters. At the 1977 Shenyang higher education games, he claimed first place in the high jump at 1.92 meters and established a new city record. He secured second place at the 1979 national sports institute track and field meet with a 2.02-meter jump.
A decade of elite coaching and national team promotions
Returning to Shenyang, he dedicated a decade entirely to coaching track and field athletes, wenxuecity.com reported.
His students claimed twelve provincial youth titles and five national youth titles over ten years, alongside strong finishes at the National Games. In 1993, national and Bayi team coaches recruited his final two athletes, prompting him to transfer them to the national and Bayi track and field squads just as authorities halted his recruitment of new students.
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