At the beginning of July, contestants from Wuhan University (WHU) received four gold medals respectively in the volleyball game and the dancing competition at the 16th Games of Hubei Province (College Students’ Group) and the 13th University Games of Hubei Province. They sweated on the playground and danced in a quaint vibe, riding the melody of excitement under the fervent sun.
The volleyball game: the grand slam with three gold medals
From July 2 to 9, the WHU “Sunshine” Men’s Volleyball Team (MVT), the “Sunshine” Women’s Volleyball Team (WVT), and the High-Level Men’s Volleyball Team (HLMVT) won gold medals in the Men’s Group A (MA) match, Women’s Group A match, and Men’s Group B match respectively, standing out among all the 59 teams.
Group photo of MVT and WVT
Group photo of HLMVT
With a slogan as powerful as the cries and whistles of mountains and sea, WVT first instigated their battle for victory with a score of 3:0 in the final match, followed by MVT and HLMVT. With the steady exertion of skill as well as excellent tactical ability, they won rounds at the group stage, survived the knockout match, and finally defended their title as the champion of volleyball games in Hubei province.
When asked about the most impressive match during the sports event, the MA final match was the undisputed answer. Though MVT kept scoring in the first two innings, the opponent team showed no panic or fear. They successfully carried out a fierce and stable defense strategy, which elevated the strained atmosphere to a peak. Under tense pressure, MVT lost the third inning with a score of 12:17.
MVT on the MA final match
Thankfully, the team coach adjusted the team members in time, curbing the opponent’s scoring momentum, which showed the team members the hope of winning again. On the last shot, the setter displayed absolute faith in the main attacker: aim, jump, and hit! MVT finally reversed the game and won the final 25-22!
MVT on the MA final match
Recalling the key moment of turning the game tables, Wu Chen, the leader of MVT, remarked, “I tried to stay calm then, and I managed to do so by concentrating on handling every move beautifully rather than paying attention to the sideline scores.” Rounds of fierce attacks and intense defense built up their way to triumph, and they won it with firm faith.
The dancing competition: the gold medal with Dream in Dunhuang
“With the bell ringing, one craftsman suddenly woke up from his dream, seeing the Fly Apsaras of the Dunhuang caves starting to dance in the air…” The dance performance called Dream in Dunhuang began with such a plot in the WHU Zall Stadium. Combining appropriate choreography with elaborate music production and accurate scene presets, the WHU “Sunshine” Latin Dance Team (LDT) won first place in the dance competition of the 16th Games of Hubei Province (College Students’ Group) and the 13th University Games of Hubei Province.
Group photo of LDT
Inspired by the Dunhuang exhibition at Wanlin Art Museum and aimed at paying tribute to the ancestors who dedicated their lives to the restoration of Dunhuang cultural relics, the Latin dance team finalized the plot of a dream within a dream. “The craftsman was amazed at the dancing mural painting in the dream. When the bell rang again, he finally woke up and put the inspiration gained in the dream into restoring the last incomplete arm of the Fly Apsaras.” Xu Jiahui, choreographer and coach of LDT, explained.
LDT in the dance competition
“Energy”, “fast beat” and “explosive power” are people’s inherent impressions of Latin dance, which contrast distinctly with classical, implicit, and inclusive traditional Chinese culture. On the premise of adhering to the basic movements of Latin dance, real Chinese Latin dance embodies Chinese culture.
The trophy of LDT’s first place
From rumba, cha-cha, samba and cowboy, to the King Tut in pop dance, Dream in Dunhuang combines five kinds of dance in less than five minutes, containing both technique and emotion, and strength and softness. Dancing in dream and dancing like a dream, the wholehearted devotion of LDT on stage reproduced the vivid picture of ancient artists and left a deep impression on the audience. “Maybe our dancing skills are not conspicuous enough, but I think the story has been told well enough,” Xu said after the game.
Behind the scenes: together along the way
Although the routes taken by the four teams toward the championship differ in many ways, the stories behind them are amazingly similar. As with every dream-catcher, they had encountered troubles along the way. Xu Chenhao, one dancer from LDT recalled, “We only have 17 players who accepted long-term training, and 12 non-dancing-major contestants all have different schedules. It was really hard to continue the training.” At the same time, difficulties during training also came from internal pressure. Wang Jianjun, one player of MVT, said, “In 2021, we failed at the semi-finals. It became the biggest regret of the graduate members, and also brought a great amount of stress to those remaining.”
LDT taking daily practice routine
As audiences who have already seen the victorious ending, we should not pity the hard time, but appreciate the strength that supported them through it. Some team members would like to comprehend it as a love for competitive sports and the team. Before each match, the players of the WVT would carefully watch the match videos repeatedly, analyze their opponent teams, and discuss countermeasures together. “I feel that volleyball is not a sport purely based on physical quality and skill,” Huang Fanke, one player of WVT, said, “it also requires appropriate strategies. Maybe that is the charm of competitive sports.” Saying this, Huang pointed at an arranging list of the rounds, which had taken each member's habits and characteristics into consideration.
WVT’s arranging list of the rounds
For some others, the pride as a player of Wuhan University is their unique strength. “When I’m standing on the court”, Min Wen from LDT said, “I always remind myself that I’m a representative of thousands of students of Wuhan University. That thought helps me to relax and enjoy the performance.”
Group photo of LDT after the final match
Stars accompanied the nights when they finished training late, while the sunlight beheld the moments of honor and glory. Youngsters of Wuhan University awed the sports venue and will continue writing their own stories with the power of examples.
Rewritten by Li Jing
Edited by Zhou Yue, Sylvia, Xi Bingqing
