The Chinese Games, the last important sporting stage in China, begins, as often happens after an Olympic season, the moment of farewells.
Someone predictable dictated by the age of the athlete and someone a little less, perhaps for more personal reasons.
With a post in “We Chat” the most popular social network (and much more) in the People's Republic of China announced it Lu Xiuzhi, one of the toughest opponents, together with Qieyang Shenjie, of Liu Hong.
Here are her words
13年的体育生涯结束了。3届奥运会（东京已替补的身份），3届全运会，3届世锦赛，3届世界杯，等大大小小的全国比赛，从巅峰到低谷，感谢国家体育局、中国田径协会领导、感谢安徽省体育局、田游中心的领导，市领导、对我的栽培，帮助，支持，和鼓励！感谢张阜新教练，桑德罗教练，孙超教练，启蒙老师卢老师，安教练，谢谢你们对我的培养，信心的呵护，对我的严格要求！感谢队医、工作人员对我的帮助，全力的保障，感谢爸爸妈妈，我的爱人，队友们，亲朋好友一直以来给我的鼓励和帮助，才使我在体育这条道路上发光发亮！这一年来，心脏问题一直困扰着我，偶尔心脏会刺痛，绞痛，心慌气短，后半年几乎一个星期一次医院检查，医院已成我第二个家，医生几次让我住院观察，我觉得没那么严重，就这样断断续续的坚持每天的训练。西安全会运已经结束了，伤病的困扰使我不得不停下脚步歇歇了！人生路很漫长，经历了第一阶段，迎接下个阶段的美好！祝愿大家身体健康平安快乐……
Thirteen years of sports career are over.
Three Olympics (in Tokyo as a substitute), three National Games, three World Team Championships, three Individual World Championships and other large and small national competitions.
I thank the National Sports Bureau, the leaders of the China Athletics Association, I thank the leaders of the Anhui Provincial Sports Bureau, the Tianyou Center for the help, support and encouragement they have given me!
Thanks to my first coach Zhang Fuxin, thanks to Sandro Damilano, thanks to Sun Chao, thanks for the trust placed in me !
Thanks to the doctors and team staff for their help and complete protection, thanks to my parents, fans, teammates, relatives and friends for their continued encouragement and help, which made me shine on the road to sport!
In the last year, I have unfortunately had heart problems. Occasionally, my heart has tremors, arrhythmias and shortness of breath. In the second half of the year, I had a hospital checkup almost once a week. The hospital has become my second home.
I don't think it's that serious, but enough with intermittent daily training.
The road to life is very long, I went through the first stage and I welcome the beauty of the next stages!
I wish you good health, safety and happiness ...
Lu Xiuzhi in the years between 2013 and 2016 was the only athlete capable of winning against the Rio Olympic champion on two occasions.
Memorable was that of 11 May 2013, even then in the edition of the Chinese Games held in Shenyang, when with a comeback that had the incredible Lu Xiuzhi managed to win over the most titled rival by less than 10cm. Both were credited 1:27:53.
The second victory was instead more evident and bears the date of March 20, 2015 when in Beijing at the selection for the 2015 World Championships Liu Xiiuzhi managed to detach the opponent by 2:27 ending in 1:25:12 which remains her personal best.
Five months later, on the same course, the result was reversed with Liu Hong winning the World Championships in a final in which the two athletes gave up fighting.
At the Olympic Games Liu Xiuxhi was less titled by obtaining a fourth place in 1:27:10 in those of London 2012 and a third place in those of Rio de Janeiro 2016.
At the end of a sports career, the sweetest of a marriage begins: Lu Xiuzhi will get married on November 6th.
The lucky one is also a walker. He is Wang Rui specialist in the 50km (PB 3:48:08) but with an excellent personal best also in the 20km (1:19:23).
The two met in Saluzzo (ITA) during the usual training stages in Italy with Sandro Damilano.
Wang Rui arrived in Saluzzo in the 2017 season, while Lu Xiuzhi arrived in 2018.
In advance of Marcia dal Mondo's wishes.