Tao Luna Competes for First Place
September 23, 2019
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| Tao wins the god medal and sets an Olympic record. [For Women of China] |
It is a day Tao Luna will never forget. On September 17, 2000, she won the women's 10-meter pistol competition during the 2000 Olympic Games, held in Sydney. She became the first Chinese athlete to win a gold medal during the games, and she set an Olympic record — 690.4 points — during the competition.
In 1992, Tao joined the Shanghai shooting and archery team. She put an incredible amount of effort into practicing and honing her shooting skills. Three years later, she was named a member of China's national shooting team. She won the 1997 and 1998 Shooting World Cup finals, both of which were held in Switzerland. However, life was not always smooth sailing. Between 1998-2000, Tao lost several national competitions.
She will never forget the regret she felt when she received the silver medal for the women's 25-meter air pistol competition at both the 1999 World Cup and the 2000 Olympic Games, held in Munich and Sydney, respectively. "I might have won first place, had I focused more on shooting and cared less about scores," says Tao.
She used various techniques to stay calm and focused during the shooting competitions. For example, she challenged her limits through bungee jumping. "When I was about to jump off the 70-plus-high-meter platform, I was so nervous that my heart beat much faster. I felt exactly the same way as when I was about to shoot during a competition. So, I kept telling myself to stay calm and to be brave. Eventually, I made it," recalls Tao. "I also audiotaped the speech made by our psychological counselor, to help us cope with stress and anxiety. I listened to the tape every day … Eventually, I overcame my nervousness, and I won the gold medal during the 2000 Olympic Games."
Tao met her "Waterloo" (disastrous defeat) during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. She was out of form during that competition, and she finished third from the bottom. "Almost every one hoped I would win a gold medal ... That made me feel tense," Tao recalls.
Luckily for Tao, she escaped that "dark valley" in her life with the help of her coach, Xu Haifeng (former Chinese pistol shooter, who was the first person to win an Olympic gold medal for China [during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles]). Tao won the gold medal in the women's 10-meter air pistol competition during the 2006 Asian Games, in Doha, capital of Qatar. She hit the 391-point ring during the competition. That has remained the Asian record in the event.
Tao has been promoting the sport of shooting among Chinese, especially among young people, since 2015, when she was appointed deputy director of the Shanghai Shooting & Archery Sport Center. "Many people pay close attention to the brilliant achievements of athletes, especially gold winners, but they might ignore the importance of sport promoters' work. While popularizing sports, the promoters might discover promising young people and recommend them to professional sports teams. I'll make more of an effort to call on young people to take up shooting, and from that I'll feel a greater sense of pride and accomplishment than I did from winning gold medals," says Tao.
Compared with shooting, she adds, many sports, such as swimming, badminton and table tennis, cost less for equipment and/or training. "If you are on a budget, you might want to try long-distance running, which only requires a pair of track shoes. Shooting, on the other hand, requires a shooting range and lessons to learn how to shoot. To attract more people … we shooting promoters organize various fun activities and popularize, among Chinese, information about the benefits of the sport. For example, we tell parents shooting is a great way for children to get exercise, to improve physique, and to cultivate excellent qualities, including staying focused on their goals and staying calm under pressure. We also note, while they practice shooting, children may socialize with others in a natural, relaxed environment. They may also develop a team spirit, while they participate in competitions," says Tao.
As one of China's athletes who best demonstrates excellence in sportsmanship, Tao believes a sportsman or sportswoman should compete for first place. "There's no easy path to success. You should boost your courage so you overcome numerous hardships and difficulties, and you should learn through your failures, so you can improve your athletic performance," says Tao. "When you stand on the podium to receive a medal, you hear applause and cheers. However, when you walk off the podium, you must not be intoxicated by your 'glorious history;' instead, you should lay low and make continuous efforts to achieve your goals. "
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| Tao Luna [Women of China] |
(Women of China)
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