Table tennis: Swinging the racket billions of times, achieving a grand slam

Chapter 481 The Light of Straight Grips, Well Deserved!
Silent all night.

The next day, early in the morning.

Xie Mingyang took Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao to the airport.

"Old Xie, see you in the Chinese Table Tennis Super League."

Chen Jin extended his right fist.

See you in the Chinese Table Tennis Super League!

Xie Mingyang lightly bumped fists with him.

A simple farewell.

Immediately, Xie Mingyang stood still and watched Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao's figures disappear into the turnstile.

Only then did he turn around and leave the airport.

Two or three hours later.

The plane landed smoothly at Tianfu Airport in S Province.

As Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao dragged their suitcases out of the gate, they immediately saw Coach Zhang from the S Province team waiting there.

"Coach Zhang, thank you for your help."

Chen Jin strode forward and greeted him warmly, saying, "I made you come all this way yourself."

"No trouble, no trouble at all."

Coach Zhang beamed with joy, "World champion, welcome home!"

"Coach Zhang, I'm practically a world champion now."

Zhang Jiahao stood tall and proud, as if he wanted to pull out his men's doubles gold medal and dazzle Coach Zhang.

"You're welcome too."

Coach Zhang laughed and said, "Is this alright now?"

Some pleasantries.

Coach Zhang led the two of them towards the parking lot.

However, today is different.

Chen Jin, having just won the World Table Tennis Championships men's singles gold medal, has become a highly popular public figure.

They hadn't gone far when someone noticed them.

"Hey? Look, aren't those Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao?"

A young girl gently tugged at her companion's sleeve and gasped softly.

"Damn it, it's true!"

His companion's eyes widened immediately.

He immediately pulled out his phone, aimed it at Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, and started snapping photos and videos.

soon.

Others recognized Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

They quickly surrounded him: "Chen Jin...is it really you?! I've watched your matches, you played so well...can we take a picture together?"

"Chen Jin, could you please give me a signed document?"

"Zhang Jiahao, I'm a fan of yours... Could you help me get Chen Jin's autograph?"

Chen Jin stopped and smiled as he fulfilled the requests of the first few fans.

However, more and more people gathered.

The scene began to become somewhat chaotic.

Airport ground staff and security personnel also noticed the situation and quickly moved over to maintain order.

Seeing this, Coach Zhang quickly stepped forward, protecting Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao while saying to the surrounding fans, "Thank you everyone, thank you for your support."

"Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao just got off the plane and are quite tired. They also need to hurry, so please understand."

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao also took the opportunity to nod to the fans and, with the help of Coach Zhang and security personnel, quickly left the crowd.

"Whoo~"

Sitting in Coach Zhang's slightly old Santana, Zhang Jiahao let out a long sigh and patted his chest. "I never thought I, Zhang Jiahao, would become a celebrity now, recognized wherever I go."

"Sigh, it seems I'll have to be fully armed when I go out from now on."

Chen Jin fastened his seatbelt, looked ahead, and replied casually, "Celebrity? At most, just a name."

"I am Baiyun, I am Heitu, I am seventy-two years old, I am seventy-five years old..."

Zhang Jiahao kept talking.

Driving instructor Zhang, listening to the two bickering, couldn't help but smile slightly.

Still a familiar feeling.

Looking back on last year, he and Coach Wu led players such as Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao to the General Administration of Sport to participate in the U16 selection competition.

Back then, who could have imagined that in less than a year, the two teenagers would become the youngest world champions?

Especially Chen Jin.

Not only did they achieve a perfect victory, but they also reached the top of the world rankings.

He defeated all the top players in the table tennis world and won the World Cup and World Championship titles.

To become a true core player of the Chinese national table tennis team.

However, the two boys didn't seem to have changed much.

"Sit tight."

Coach Zhang laughed.

Immediately, they drove to the hospital where Chen Jianguo was.

Arrived at the hospital's inpatient building.

As soon as I entered the hall, I saw several reporters with long lenses and microphones, as well as a few people dressed in what looked like executive jackets.

"Ok?"

Chen Jin frowned slightly, as if he had thought of something.

I took the elevator to my father's floor.

The entrance to the ward was crowded with people.

"I'm coming."

Someone called out softly, "Chen Jin is here."

Suddenly, the camera zoomed in on his face.

They escorted the still somewhat bewildered Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao into the ward.

The small ward felt even more crowded at this moment.

Several middle-aged men with distinguished bearing and leadership appearances surrounded Chen Jianguo, who was lying on the hospital bed, surrounded by reporters and staff.

Fruit baskets and fresh flowers were placed on the floor beside the hospital bed.

"...Chen Jin is the pride of our S Province. He just won two championships at the World Table Tennis Championships, which not only brought glory to the country, but also showed the world the spirit of our S Province athletes."

A leader, holding Chen Jianguo's hand tightly, said in a kind but firm tone, "Comrade Chen Jianguo, you have raised a fine son!"

Having lived most of his life, Chen Jianguo had never seen anything like this before.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she could only repeatedly say, "Thank you, leader, thank you for your concern..."

The father-in-law, who was standing beside him, couldn't stop smiling.

at this time.

Chen Jin's appearance immediately attracted everyone's attention.

"The world champion is back."

The leader smiled, turned around, and extended his palm to shake hands with Chen Jin.

ka ka ka-

Flashes of light, a dazzling display.

Before this, Chen Jin really hadn't expected it to turn out like this.

He only mentioned his father's injury and hospitalization to Chen Longcan. Perhaps it was reported by the provincial team that it attracted the personal condolences of provincial leaders.

The title of World Table Tennis Championships champion, though not as sensational as the title of Olympic champion, is still a national sensation.

However, as the national sport, its significance and level of attention are incomparable to other sports.

It's understandable that the provincial government attaches great importance to this.

Chen Jin quickly adjusted his expression, shook hands with each of the leaders present, and responded to their praise and greetings. "Chen Jin, we hope you will continue to work hard, make persistent efforts, and bring glory to the country and our S province."

The leader nodded in satisfaction.

Then came another round of enthusiastic encouragement.

Take a group photo.

The leaders and reporters finally left the ward.

The once noisy space suddenly became quiet.

Only Chen Jin, Zhang Jiahao, Chen Jianguo, and his father-in-law remained.

Even Coach Zhang has said goodbye and left.

"Whoo~"

Chen Jin let out a long sigh, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at Chen Jianguo. "Dad, how are you feeling?"

"very good."

Chen Jianguo chuckled, "When people are happy, they feel refreshed, and their legs heal even faster."

"Uncle, do you remember me?"

Zhang Jiahao stepped forward and said, "I am Zhang Jiahao, Jin Ge's teammate."

"of course I remember."

Chen Jianguo laughed and said, "I've even watched your men's doubles match with Kim Jong-un."

While Chen Jianguo and Zhang Jiahao were chatting, Chen Jin and her father-in-law picked up the flowers and fruit baskets on the ground.

"So much stuff...wait?"

Chen Jin asked curiously, "Why is there also a wheelchair? Was it a gift from a leader?"

"No."

Jia Gong said, "It was delivered this morning. They said it was sent by your friend, Xiao Jinzi."

"my friend?"

Chen Jin was stunned for a moment.

He didn't know which friend had given him the wheelchair.

"The delivery person said this wheelchair can drive itself and avoid obstacles automatically, just like those intelligent driving cars."

My father-in-law continued.

Wow, this is so advanced?

Zhang Jiahao walked over, circled the wheelchair twice, and exclaimed in amazement, "It makes me want to buy one myself."

"Uncle, how about I give you a test drive?"

……

The next few days.

Chen Jin spends most of his time at the hospital with his father.

Together with her father-in-law, they took turns caring for her.

However, coming back here inevitably involves social engagements.

During this period, he received an invitation from the S Province team to return to the team for a visit and exchange.

Chen Jin naturally couldn't refuse.

Stepping back into the familiar training hall of the S Province team, he was greeted by the smiling face of head coach Chen Longcan and the enthusiastic applause of all the team members.

Chen Jin discovered that Huang Zhenting was also in the crowd.

Seeing Chen Jin's surprised expression, Chen Longcan explained, "Huang Zhenting is a foreign aid that our S Province team invited for this Table Tennis Super League."

In this year's Chinese Table Tennis Super League, S-series team lost two key players, Chen Jin and Lin Yun-ju, significantly weakening their strength.

I have no desire to defend my title.

However, giving up is out of the question.

Perhaps it was due to his obsession with penhold grip that Chen Longcan brought in Huang Zhenting as a foreign aid for the S Province team.

Huang Zhenting stepped forward and shook hands with Chen Jin, saying in Mandarin with a Cantonese accent, "Chen Jin, congratulations on winning the championship in Doha."

"The undisputed champion of the straight-grip hand grip!"

As a penhold player, he is well aware of the difficulties of penhold play in the era of 40+ plastic balls.

When competing against penhold grip players, they often fall behind.

However, Chen Jin's emergence shattered the world's stubborn prejudice against penhold grips.

Let the penhold grip style regain its glory on the world table tennis stage.

This gave those who persist in and love penhold grips a glimmer of hope.

"Thank you, Brother Ting."

Chen Jin humbly responded, "Please continue to guide me in the future."

"You're the one who should be instructing me."

Huang Zhenting laughed and asked, "Shall we practice a few together?"

"it is good."

Chen Jin did not refuse.

Immediately, he borrowed a plank and began practicing with Huang Zhenting.

It immediately attracted a lot of attention from the team members.

"Go, Brother Jin!"

A child's sweet, childlike voice rang out from the crowd.

Chen Jin looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yan Jun, whom he had brought into the S Province team.

It had been half a year since I last saw Yan Jun, and he had grown taller.

I practiced with Wong Chun Ting for a while.

Because the horizontal board was not polished and was a bit uncomfortable to hold, Chen Jin took the opportunity to put it down and shook hands with Huang Zhenting.

See you at the next competition.

"See you at the stadium."

Accompanied by Chen Longcan, Chen Jin left the training hall.

"That kid you brought before, Yan Jun, his talent is truly undeniable."

Chen Longcan's tone was filled with undisguised admiration, "In just half a year, he went from zero experience to now being invincible in the group competition. Not only is he unbeatable among his peers, but even the kids under twelve in the team can't beat him."

"He has a good feel for the ball, is willing to use his brain, and is willing to work hard; he's a promising talent."

Following Chen Longcan's gaze, one could see Yan Jun already undergoing multi-ball training under Coach Zhang's supervision.

His footwork is agile, and his hitting motion is smooth and powerful.

Most importantly, the focus and fierceness in his eyes are something you don't see at his age.

"I plan to recommend Yan Jun to Coach Wu in the second half of the year when his basic skills are more solid."

Chen Longcan continued, "What do you think?"

"no problem."

Chen Jin nodded, "I believe in Coach Chen, and I also believe in Coach Wu."

"correct."

Chen Longcan crossed his arms and said, "The foundation has already started operating."

"In the past six months, our coaches have gone to the countryside and villages and schools, and have discovered several promising talents. We plan to communicate with them and train them properly."

Chen Jin asked, "Is the money enough? I've saved some of my prize money from the competitions, and I can donate all of it."

"Need not."

Chen Longcan waved his hand, "In March, someone donated 500,000 to the foundation, and in the middle of this month, someone else donated another 500,000."

"Oh?"

Chen Jin asked curiously, "Who donated it?"

"I don't know."

Chen Longcan shook his head, "They're all anonymous."

(End of this chapter)