SPORTS> Feature and Column
Olympics-From fertiliser to national hero in a shot
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-09 10:48

"I did very well until the last 10 shots," he said. "The spectators around me affected my concentration. I knew how many I'd got but nothing about the others' results. But the gathering crowd hinted that I had done well."

"I sat down and took a short break. Finally, I got two nines and one 10 in my last three shots."

In the days before electronic scoring the targets had to be checked and the scores calculated by officials.

"It took half an hour," Xu said. "I waited and then finally the referee told me, 'You have won. Please go and get your medal'.

"I felt suddenly relaxed, just like a huge stone hanging upon my heart had been removed."

The reaction from his team mates and officials was euphoric, but that still did not prepare him for his reception back home.

"When I got back with a gold, I realized how significant it would be, it changed my life ever after," he said.

"The great passion of the people was unbearable after I returned. Huge crowds welcomed me everywhere. I couldn't eat or sleep properly. Meetings or celebrations lasted until midnight every day and early the next morning, I was woken up again.

"For about 20 days, I went to every place I'd ever been, from the sports administrations to the fertilizer shop, to say thanks to everybody."

"It brought much more pressure," Xu added. "I was expected to win everything afterwards. I've done everything differently since then because I am a public figure."

MORE TITLES

Although Xu went on to win many more titles at the Asian Games and world championships, nothing would top his golden moment in Los Angeles.

After retiring in 1994, he coached the Chinese women's shooting team and again showed his golden touch.

"I regard the second biggest success in my career as the players I coached to Olympic golds," he said. "I started coaching in February 1995 and one of my shooters, Li Duihong, took a gold in Atlanta in July 1996."

Another of his charges, Tao Lu-na, collected the air pistol title in Sydney four years later.