Qian Weichang: The Sports Affair of a Scientific Giant
A storm of academic turmoil in May 2002 made waves, a paper labeled "no references required" because of the first sentence of the amazing words and attracted attention. The paper, which was published in the Journal of Mathematics and Mechanics, was written by Qian Weichang, one of China's leading force scientists and known as one of the "Three Chins", and discussed the "Nonlinear Calculation Problems of the Ningbo Ningbo River Bridge with Large Deflections".
Mr. Qian Weichang, whom Premier Zhou Enlai praised as "one of the three outstanding scientists in China", was not only a great achiever in the field of science, but also had a deep relationship with sports. He was a sprinter at Tsinghua University, a member of the national soccer team that shot at the Japanese goal, and an honorary president of the Society of Chinese Scholars in Exercise Physiology and Physical Fitness (SCSEPF).
hurdling prodigy
In 1931, at the age of 18, Qian Weichang was admitted to the Chinese Department of Tsinghua University with a thin frame and a height of 1 meter 49. From that day on, he began his daily morning running exercise. By chance, he was discovered by John Ma, the founder of sports at Tsinghua University and an outstanding sportsman and educator, and was invited to join the cross-country long-distance running team of Tsinghua University. From then on, in addition to his studies, Qian received specialized training from John Ma.
In 1933, at the National University Games track and field competition, Qian Weichang, who stood at 1 meter 49, won the top three places in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 13 seconds 4! In 1935, he graduated from university with honors, stayed on for graduate studies, and his height grew to 1 meter 66.
Facing the 1 meter 06 hurdles, Qian Weichang, who is only 1 meter 49, won the third place in the National University Games with his unique skills. He said, "I have my own tricks." After research and practice, he improved the traditional three-step hurdles into four-step hurdles, and was supported by John Ma. He also tried to increase his speed by placing tiles on the hurdles that had to be swept off with his feet. Qian's hurdle method was eventually a great success and became a sight to behold on the track and field.
soccer great
Qian Weichang was not only good at athletics, he was also the main left winger of Tsinghua University's soccer team. in 1937, he was selected for the national team and made a big splash at the Far East Games held in the Philippines, where he led the team to win nine consecutive titles. Qian's love for soccer, especially during the World Cup, he would get up in the middle of the night to watch the matches, but his favorite was the women's soccer team.
In 2002, Mr. Qian personally planned and organized the "Qian Weichang Cup" Shanghai University Football Invitational Tournament, formulated the regulations and rules of the tournament, and created the "Qian Weichang" trophy.
the secret of long life
In his old age, Qian Weichang used long-distance running as a form of exercise. Even at his advanced age, he still insists on walking 3,000 steps a day. It is by relying on physical exercise that Qian Weichang maintains a healthy body and a clear mind. He believes that the key to longevity depends on oneself.
Sports Affair
Qian Weichang's favorite programs were news and sports. He believed that sports were always in flux and dynamic. The unpredictable results of competitions, the fearlessness, endurance, and perseverance of the field filled with upwardly mobile young people, bursting with the desire to succeed, appealed to him most.
Mr. Qian said with deep emotion: "Through sports, Mr. John Ma has cultivated our character and exercised our perseverance. Even in the most difficult period of my life, I was sent down to work in a steel mill, and I had to work three shifts as a furnace foreman, with a long iron bar weighing 52 kilograms as a tool. But did not fall, still optimistic. In the long road of life, so that I have the courage to bear the wind and rain, have the perseverance to overcome the difficulties, have the perseverance to continue to overcome the self."
