Notes of Rio Journalists： The Godfather of Women’s Water Polo and the Embarrassment of Unpopular Events

　　On the evening of August 15th, the quarter-finals of women’s water polo in Rio Olympic Games started. The China women’s team (Blue Hat) lost to the Italian team at 7: 12 in three group matches, which failed to create a miracle and missed the semi-finals of the Olympic Games. Zhongxin.com reporter Futian photo

　　Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, August 15 (Reporter Wang Muqing) If it weren’t for the Olympic Games, the unpopular event of women’s water polo might not get much attention. Even at the peak of China team: third place in the 2010 World Cup, second place in the 2011 World Championships, and champion in the 2013 World League.

　　Today, only four athletes, Yang Jun, Sun Yating, Ma Huanhuan and Song Donglun, have come to Rio, and three of them have participated in the two Olympic Games in Beijing and London. This young team went to Rio, suffered four consecutive defeats and missed the top four.

　　In fact, women’s water polo in China has never reached the top four in the Olympic Games. In 2008 and 2012, China finished fifth. According to the competition system of Rio Olympic Games, even though China has lost all three matches in the group stage, it can still participate in the knockout stage and compete for a place in the semi-finals. Fortunately, the opponent is the Italian team that was defeated two months ago.

　　Olympic water polo entered the knockout stage, and the venue was moved to the gymnasium in the central area of Rio Olin, which just finished the swimming competition. Writing here, the reporter is really ashamed, because the reporter doesn’t know where the venue for the group competition is. After inquiring through the official information center of the Olympic Games, the reporter learned that the name of the venue is Maria Lenk Aquatics, but if you click to view the specific information, the page will display: This information cannot be checked.

　　The reporter is more convinced that this information can be found during the group stage, but by the time the knockout stage begins, the venue has completed the historical mission of the Rio Olympic Games, and few people care about it.

　　On the other hand, the China team didn’t start badly. At one time, it was tied with its opponent’s 1-1 score. But as time went on, the Italian team scored again and again, and the difference was opened a little.

　　With the suspense of the game getting smaller and smaller, the reporters in the media gallery are somewhat depressed. The reporter looked around the stadium and found that the stands with nearly half the attendance rate were full of Brazilian flags. It turns out that China’s foreign teacher and American Azevedo’s hometown is Brazil.

　　Rick Azevedo’s name is like Alex Ferguson in football and Phil Jackson in basketball. People respectfully call Azevedo "the godfather of water polo". At the Rio Olympic Games, Azevedo led the China team home dressed in gold and challenged the Italian team he had coached. At the same time, Tony Azevedo, a 35-year-old veteran of the American men’s water polo team, is the son of Rick Azevedo, and he will complete his fifth Olympic tour in Rio.

　　Rio Olympic Games is so important to old Azevedo. So it’s not hard to understand how upset old Azevedo was after the game when China lost to the Italian team because of shooting disorder. However, in the name of "godfather", Azevedo reminded young girls in China that experience is more important than process, exertion is more important than result, and relaxation is more important than stress.

　　However, for Ma Huanhuan and Sun Yating, the Rio Olympic Games is a swan song of "the result is more important than the process". After the National Games next year, two meritorious veterans will officially retire. Even if the group lost three games in a row, as long as we can win one game in the knockout stage and reach the semi-finals, it will be the long-cherished wish of a generation of national players.

　　As the captain, Sun Yating couldn’t help crying after the game: "I really want to win a medal." When she said this, she raised her hand and wiped her tears, revealing a bright red scratch on her neck.

　　In the women’s water polo competition, the players’ confrontation in the absence of the ball is quite fierce, and the collision between the opponents’ limbs is not all a foul. Therefore, that clear scratch is by no means accidental, but it is the necessity of this sport.

　　Apart from regret, Sun Yating is most worried about the future of women’s water polo in China: "There are too few people practicing water polo, and the selection of talents is too limited."

　　However, when the Rio Olympic Games is closed, the exposure opportunities of women’s handball events may only be comprehensive games such as the National Games and the Asian Games. As for the World Championships and the World Cup, the degree of attention received can be imagined. I’m afraid the future of this team will only be known to outsiders through the results of the competition. The so-called unpopular projects are generally the same. (End)