A Wonderful Experience
Yesterday I had a wonderful experience, so that I still cannot calm down when I recall it. I am still excited.
This story should begin from one of my friend, Liam. Liam is an officer of Irish National Coach Training Center. He attended the ICCE conference in our university last September, and I’m a volunteer for the conference. During the conference, I showed him around our campus and introduced a lot about our school and China to him, so we got familiar with each other and became good friends. After he went back Ireland, we usually contacted through email. A few days ago, he told me that one of his friends, Ken Doherty, would attend the World Snooker China Open in Beijing in March 24th to 30th. He told me that if I go to the competition place, maybe I could meet him. When I saw the email, I was wondering what is snooker because I didn’t know the word. Then I looked it up in the electronic dictionary and only find that it is Sinuoke in Chinese. It is a way that translate a word just like a foreign name or place, so I was still puzzled about it. Later I send an email to him and told him that I have never heard snooker before and he was very surprised about it. However one day I find out what snooker is occasionally, I felt very ashamed about what I have said to Liam. In fact, I know there is such kind of sport, but I just know only a little about it.
Last Sunday I checked on the internet and was very surprised found that Ken Doherty is one of the best snooker players in the world. Then I booked a ticket for his competition on March 25th. In order to enjoy the game, I found a lot of information about snooker in the Internet, including famous snooker players in home and abroad and snooker rules. After all these studies, I found snooker was a very interesting sport.
Yesterday, March 25th, I went to the university students’ stadium in Capital Institute of Physical Education to watch the match. As soon as I saw him, I felt he is an amiable man. Then I focused on his match and decided would not disturb him until he finish his match. In the first round he did excellently, and he kicked all the balls into the bags within one stroke, got 140 points and give no chance to his opponent, Mike Dunn. I really appreciated his manners which are very gentle, just like that I have seen in the British movies. At last, he won the game by 5 to 2. As soon as it finished, I tried to get close to him, but some workers stopped me and told me that the only way to meet him was waiting outside the VIP Exit door. Then I ran to the VIP door and stood there. There were many snooker fans over there. After about one hour’s wait, he finally came out. Then I rushed to him and told him that I was a friend of Liam, he was very surprised to see me and told me that Liam had mentioned me to him. Then there is interesting dialogue:
“Liam told me that you don’t know snooker at all,” he said.
“No, in fact I knew, but I didn’t know snooker is just this kind of sport,” I said ashamedly.
Then he laughed. I took out a Chinese tie, gave it to him, and told him, “There is a Chinese character on it, which means good luck. Good luck for his competition.” He was very happy to receive it. Because there were so many fans asking for his signatures and photos, I just talked with him for a few minutes, took a photo with him and then he got into the car and went back to hotel.
I was very happy not because I had met a famous snooker player but because he is Liam’s friend. Liam told me that he was a very good player and always ranking well, but during the recent two seasons, his records was not very well. Thus in order to keep within top 16 of the world, he has to win some games in Beijing. I sincerely wish that he will get a good result in Beijing.