Sang Lan came to the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York as China’s reigning national vault champion. During warm-ups for the vault final on July 21, however, her career ended in an instant. Attempting a front handspring timer, she visibly hesitated on her approach, failed to complete the rotation, and landed on her head. Rushed by ambulance to Nassau County Medical Center, she underwent emergency surgery three days later. Doctors ultimately concluded that the damage to her cervical spinal cord was irreversible, and she was told that she would never walk again. The accident became an international news story, drawing intense media attention in both China and the United States, visits from senior political figures including Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and an outpouring of public support that transformed Sang Lan into a national symbol of resilience.
What follows are four contemporaneous accounts of those events, each offering a different vantage point on the same weeks. First, there’s a reported feature that lays out the chronology in full—the injury itself, Sang Lan’s path from a Ningbo sports school to the national team, and the political and civic response that followed. In addition, there are three more pieces: a reflection from the team’s physician, who was present at the moment of injury and remained at Sang Lan’s bedside through the days that followed; an essay from her coach, written from Beijing in the grip of his own grief; and a short public letter attributed to Sang Lan herself, composed from her hospital bed in the United States.
A Reported Piece
Focus on Sang Lan
By Lu Ri and Chen Feng
Today’s Zhejiang, August 23, 1998The young Ningbo girl Sang Lan suffered a serious injury at the Goodwill Games, but faced the challenges of her new life with courageous and tenacious resolve, winning the love and care of tens of millions of people.
Misfortune Strikes: The Little Orchid Is Felled in America
The plane carrying the Chinese gymnastics team was flying over the Pacific, bound for the United States to compete in the Goodwill Games. On board, everyone on the team could feel the excitement radiating from Sang Lan, the young team member from Ningbo. And no wonder, she had been training in gymnastics for twelve years, had been on the national team for four, but this was the first time she had ever represented the national team in a world-level competition.
Her teammates noticed that seventeen-year-old Sang Lan was sitting alone, smiling to herself in a daze, lost in thought. They couldn’t guess what she was smiling about or thinking, but one thing was perfectly clear to all of them: Sang Lan, who had worked so hard to qualify for this competition, was surely going to use her signature vault to deliver a surprise to the whole gymnastics world.
The gymnastics competition at this Goodwill Games was restricted to athletes ranked in the world’s top eight, and Sang Lan, who had never placed at a world competition, had only been granted special dispensation to participate. How could she not treasure this rare opportunity? As China’s national women’s vault champion, little Sang Lan had come specifically to win the gold medal on vault at the Goodwill Games.
[Note: Traditionally, for the Goodwill Games, the sports federations chose the best Russian and American athletes, followed by the six best athletes based on world rankings.]
At 7 p.m. on the evening of July 21st, the vault final at the Goodwill Games was about to begin. Sang Lan stood at the start of the runway, full of energy and spirit. During warm-ups, she measured her run-up and performed a familiar tumbling move. When she mounted the apparatus, she hesitated visibly for a moment, her body unable to complete the move in the air. She landed on her head, suffering a spinal injury that left her unable to move.
The audience was stunned. The Chinese coaches and athletes were stunned. They quickly recovered from the shock and rushed forward to hold Sang Lan, calling out her name, but little Sang Lan could not move.
At 7:04, Nassau County Medical Center, near the competition venue, received a call for help. Twelve minutes later, Sang Lan was transported to the hospital by ambulance…
Still in Kindergarten When She Was Recruited to the Sports School: The Beginning of a Gymnastics Career
On June 11, 1981, an ordinary family in the Haishu district of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, welcomed a baby girl. Her father named her Sang Lan.
Sang Shisheng and Chen Xiufeng adored their daughter, pouring all of their love into every day of her childhood. In May 1986, gymnastics coaches Zhang Yiming and Cao Xiaochun from the Ningbo Municipal Sports School spotted the adorable little Sang Lan at Zhongdong Kindergarten and recruited her to the sports school, where she began her introduction to gymnastics.
Sang Lan’s father worked at the Ningbo Housing Management Bureau; her mother, who had been laid off, had previously worked at a shoe factory. Little Sang Lan was exceptionally mature for her age; even as a young child, she felt that if she didn’t train hard at gymnastics, she would be letting her parents down. In training she was especially willing to endure hardship. Coach Zhang Yiming said: “The other children would often cry, but no matter how much pain or fatigue she was in, she never cried, and her progress was especially remarkable.”
In September 1988, Coach Zhang Yiming decided to send Sang Lan to the provincial sports school to train under Coach Tang Changyan. Coach Tang had his own distinctive approach to training young gymnasts. The celebrated vaulting star Lou Yun had emerged from his program. Under Coach Tang Changyan’s guidance, Sang Lan made rapid progress, and in 1990 she joined the provincial gymnastics team on the strength of her solid fundamentals, training under the province’s senior gymnastics coach Ye Zhiying. Under Coach Ye’s careful cultivation, she swept all five gold medals in the women’s all-around and four individual events at the provincial games, earning the nickname “Little Yang Bo” (Yang Bo had also won five gold medals at the 1986 provincial games).
Years of heavy training took a heavy toll on Sang Lan’s body in the form of injuries. Had it not been for a serious leg injury, she should have joined the national gymnastics team as early as 1991, rather than having to wait until 1994 to walk through the national team’s doors.
At Such a Young Age, She Had Already Claimed a Series of Vault Titles
After joining the national team, under the guidance of Coach Lu Shanzhen — a native of Wenzhou — Sang Lan’s technical level rapidly advanced by a full tier. Due to the limitations of her physical build, she was unable to develop as fully on events like the uneven bars, but on vault she made astonishing progress. By 1996, she was capable of performing elite-level skills like the front handspring with 540-degree twist. At the time, Mo Huilan could only manage a 180-degree front handspring. At the 3rd National Urban Games, Sang Lan captured gold medals in both the all-around and vault. At the 1997 National Championships and the 8th National Games, she went on to claim the vault title again and again. It goes without saying that her dominance on the women’s vault was unrivaled. It was entirely natural that people should call her the “Vault Queen.”
In the eyes of Coach Ye Zhiying of the provincial gymnastics team, Sang Lan was an utterly lovable, straightforward child. She recalled that at a national gymnastics championships held the previous year, she noticed that Sang Lan had written “playing” and “reading picture books” in the section asking athletes to name their favorite activities. This struck her as strange, because to her eyes Sang Lan was the most diligent and hardworking athlete on the team — the last one who would indulge in play. When she asked Sang Lan about it, this sensible young girl replied: “Coach Ye, if I weren’t doing gymnastics, you’d definitely find I was the biggest kid who loved to play.” Coach Ye felt a wave of sadness. So after the 8th National Games, she arranged for Sang Lan and her younger teammates to visit “Future World” amusement park. These girls, who had entered the sports school at five or six years old and trained hard for years on end, arrived at a modern amusement park under blue skies and white clouds and were like birds released from a cage, singing and jumping, with Sang Lan even yelling out loud across the open fields. In Coach Ye Zhiying’s words: “Every last one of them went wild.” Even she herself laughed all day.
After the 8th National Games, weighing the burden of her accumulated injuries and the large gap in her abilities across different events, and recognizing that even though her vault technique was at world-class level, she still had no way to compete at world championships (since you cannot enter individual events at world competitions without a strong all-around score). Sang Lan began to consider retiring to focus on her studies. The Sang Shisheng family and the team both agreed to her wishes.
Two months after Sang Lan stopped training, national team coach Lu Shanzhen and others came to Ningbo. They hoped Sang Lan would return to the team to prepare for the 1999 World Gymnastics Championships in Tianjin and the 2000 Olympics. Knowing full well that her all-around level was not high and her competitive opportunities limited, Sang Lan weighed the decision carefully but ultimately resolved to serve the national team’s needs and returned to training without hesitation.
“Don’t Cry; Be Strong!” Sang Lan Tells Her Parents from Her Hospital Bed
The Sang Shisheng family saw their daughter’s injury on television. But they couldn’t believe their eyes, and it was only when they received a phone call from a coach at the municipal sports commission, informing them that Zhang Jian, head of the gymnastics department of the General Administration of Sport, was inviting them to travel to America to visit their daughter — that they finally broke down and wept. Sang Shisheng’s first words upon receiving the call were: “This is not good news. At the very least, there will be lasting complications.” Chen Xiufeng, weeping, asked: “Please tell me honestly. How badly is Sang Lan hurt?” To learn more about their daughter’s true condition, they transferred the call to Coach Lu Shanzhen. On the afternoon of July 23rd, the Sang Shisheng family flew to Beijing.
On the evening of July 25th, Sang Lan’s parents arrived on Long Island. To ensure that Sang Lan’s parents would not be overtaxed, the organizing committee arranged for them to exit the airport through a private passage, with a police escort driving them directly to the hospital, entering the ward through an underground passage. When Sang Lan’s anxious parents reached the hospital, Sang Lan was still sleeping; the surgical anesthesia had not yet worn off. Upon meeting the attending physician, Dr. Leone, Sang Lan’s parents knelt down before him and begged the doctor to use the best medicines and the best medical skills to save their only beloved daughter. Dr. Leone immediately knelt in return, expressing that they were already treating Sang Lan with exactly that dedication. This moving scene brought tears to everyone present.
When Sang Lan awoke, she smiled and comforted her parents: “Don’t cry. Don’t be sad. I’m fine. You must be strong; you need to help me overcome this injury.”
The seventeen-year-old Sang Lan, whenever she saw members of the Chinese delegation, always asked who had won medals. When someone gave her a string of prayer beads to wish her a swift recovery, Sang Lan passed them on to her gymnastics teammates, wishing them many gold medals. She told her coaches: “I didn’t complete my task this time. How did I fall? I’ve never hesitated on that move before.” When Huang Yubin read her a letter from teammates back home, his voice choked and he couldn’t get through it. The letter had to be passed around and read in relay by many people. So as not to upset everyone, Sang Lan laughed and said: “Go on, don’t worry about me; I’m fine. All of you come and give me a kiss!”
Sang Lan’s thoughtfulness and consideration were well known throughout the Chinese gymnastics team. Coach Yuan Zijuan told reporters: “Sang Lan is truly a very mature, caring, and considerate girl. Whenever anyone on the team had so much as a headache or a fever, she would go buy fruit or flowers and go visit and look after them. That something this terrible should fall on her head. It’s just so unfair!”
China’s Leaders All Know This Brave Girl
Sang Lan’s injury moved hundreds of millions of hearts.
After Sang Lan’s injury, she received deep concern from the Chinese government and the peoples of both China and the United States. Vice Premier Li Lanqing personally called the General Administration of Sport to inquire about Sang Lan’s condition and express his concern.
On the morning of July 28th, Vice Premier Qian Qichen and his wife Zhou Hanqiong, upon arriving in New York after completing a visit to Caribbean countries, traveled to Nassau County Medical Center on Long Island to visit Sang Lan. Others who came to visit included Chinese Ambassador to the United States Li Zhaoxing, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Qin Huasun, and China’s Acting Consul General in New York Qiu Shaofang.
Qian Qichen first expressed, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, gratitude to the American people and medical workers for their care and dedicated treatment of Sang Lan. He said: “Sang Lan is an extraordinarily strong and courageous girl. With the concern of the Chinese and American peoples, and with the dedicated medical treatment she is receiving, I believe we can give her the confidence to stand up again.”
After the hospital director had briefed him on Sang Lan’s general condition, Qian Qichen said: “China’s leaders and the Chinese people all know about this brave girl. We hope that we can work together to help her recover as soon as possible.”
At Sang Lan’s bedside, Qian Qichen warmly greeted her and said: “Focus on your treatment.” Sang Lan smiled and replied: “I will definitely get better.” Vice Premier Qian presented Sang Lan with a flower basket and a basket of fruit.
On August 2nd, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife visited Sang Lan in the hospital. Carter indicated that he had come on behalf of President Clinton to pay a personal visit to Sang Lan.
The Carters warmly inquired about Sang Lan’s health, encouraged her to face the future with confidence, and noted that with advances in science and technology, miracles were very possible. The Carters spent half an hour in Sang Lan’s hospital room, presenting her with a stuffed bear on whose paw they had signed their names, wishing Sang Lan a speedy recovery. Sang Lan and her parents expressed repeated gratitude for the Carters’ visit.
That evening at the Goodwill Games closing ceremony, Carter said he had been moved by Sang Lan’s courageous spirit. The spirit Sang Lan had demonstrated was a spirit of selfless dedication — the spirit of the Chinese people, and also of all Americans and all the world.
Sang Lan had expressed a wish to see the film Titanic, but since the video cassette had not yet been released in the United States, a well-wisher arranged to obtain a copy from Paramount. The film’s male lead, moved by Sang Lan’s spirit, also went to the hospital to visit her. In preparation for this meeting, Sang Lan even learned a few phrases in English.
After Sang Lan’s injury, the Chinese Gymnastics Association established a special “Sang Lan Fund.” People from around the world sent an uncountable stream of cards and letters. By July 30th, cards and letters written to Sang Lan from around the world had already filled three large boxes, and stuffed bears alone had exceeded one hundred. Touched by the enthusiastic concern of people from all walks of life in both China and America, Sang Lan said with deep feeling: “Every day I receive warm and moving cards and gifts sent from all corners of the world. So many people are caring about me. It makes me feel truly happy.”
Zhejiang Compatriots Pour Out Their Love for Sang Lan
When Sang Lan’s parents traveled to America to visit their daughter, Ningbo Mayor Zhang Weiwen made a special trip to the airport to see them off.
In the airport VIP lounge, Zhang Weiwen took the hands of Sang Lan’s parents, Sang Shisheng and Chen Xiufeng, and said: “I have come on behalf of the municipal Party committee and municipal government to see you off and express our concern.”
Zhang Weiwen said that after Sang Lan’s accidental injury at the 4th Goodwill Games in America, the provincial Party committee and provincial government leadership had been deeply concerned and had paid close attention. Deputy Governor Lu Songtian had specifically called Ningbo twice to convey his concern and sympathy.
Zhang Weiwen also phoned the head of Ningbo’s Ningxing company in America to arrange for Sang Lan and her parents’ daily needs. He asked Sang Lan’s parents to bring with them 10,000 yuan in consolation money from the people of her hometown, along with a letter of sympathy.
Provincial Sports Commission deputy director Du Zhaonian, entrusted by Deputy Governor Lu Songtian, made a special trip from Hangzhou to Yishe Airport to express condolences to Sang Lan’s parents and ask them to convey greetings to Sang Lan.
Every day, Sang Lan’s injury weighed on the hearts of her Ningbo compatriots who loved and cared for her. Moved by her strength of will, people expressed their respect for Sang Lan in all manner of ways, praying that she would recover soon. Workers at Sang Lan’s father’s work unit donated more than 10,000 yuan, and on one particular day the municipal sports commission’s donation office received 16,703 yuan in individual donations from residents for Sang Lan.
Lai Rong of the Ningbo Dahe Group donated 5,000 yuan — the single largest individual donation received to date. All employees of the municipal real estate bureau donated 7,080 yuan. Workers of the Haishu District Housing Management Office donated a further 4,113 yuan after having already donated 10,000 yuan on the 26th. One laid-off woman who wished not to reveal her workplace (later identified as Wang Ping) donated 500 yuan. Wang Jingjing, a first-year middle school student at Ningbo No. 15 Middle School, contributed 10 yuan of her own pocket money… Ningbo Radio’s Sports Panorama program opened a special mailbox called “Heart to Hand — Sending Love to Sang Lan,” relaying the blessings of the people of her hometown to Sang Lan in America.
Cooperating with Rehabilitation: Little Sang Lan Perseveres Without Letup
Following successful surgery, Sang Lan was already able to sit up, and the mobility of her shoulders and elbows had improved greatly. However, due to severe contusion and displacement of the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae, American specialists concluded that Sang Lan’s central nervous system had been severed, and the hope of her standing again was zero — unless a miracle occurred.
On July 31st, specialists informed Sang Lan herself of this situation. Sang Lan has now accepted this reality and is actively cooperating with her doctors in rehabilitation treatment. As of now, Sang Lan still has no sensation below the chest; of her arms, only the upper arm and thumb can move, while the wrist and other fingers cannot. She has already begun practicing eating by binding a spoon to her hand. Though her hand movement is still not agile, doctors report that Sang Lan is working extremely hard and making significant progress.
Sang Lan’s story of fighting against her injuries has spread through both China and America via the internet. Many well-wishers have offered suggestions for her treatment, and numerous hospitals in China have expressed willingness to provide Sang Lan with the best possible medical care. When it became known that Sang Lan wanted to learn computers, a Sino-American joint venture said they were willing to take Sang Lan on as a company employee and fund her computer training. Sang Lan told her parents with gratitude: “I will remember these kind people for the rest of my life. They are the spiritual pillars that will help me raise the sails of my life anew.”
Zhang Jian, director of the Gymnastics Center of the General Administration of Sport, stated clearly in an interview with reporters: “We will stand by Sang Lan to the end. Whatever the cost, we will help her face the challenges of her new life with courage.”
Discussing plans for the next phase, Zhang Jian said: “The key is to help her become a person who can support herself. The Center’s position is very clear: Whatever the cost, we will stand by her to the end. When Sang Lan comes home, we will find her the best hospital and the best doctors, and make every possible effort to help her recover to the fullest extent.”
Because the Goodwill Games had provided athletes with insurance totaling ten million U.S. dollars, the costs of Sang Lan’s treatment in America were more than adequate, and she would receive the best possible treatment and rehabilitation conditions. All of Sang Lan’s parents’ expenses in America were to be covered by the American organizing committee. Sang Lan’s next phase of treatment would proceed in three steps: first, continuing to stimulate the partial recovery of sensation in her nervous system; second, preventing the emergence of complications; and finally, helping Sang Lan learn to care for herself and improve her life skills.
The road of life is still long. Be strong, Sang Lan!
关注
桑兰
□ 陆日 辰峰
宁波小姑娘桑兰在友好运动会上受重伤后，以勇敢顽强的意志正视新生活的挑战，赢得了千万人的关爱。
厄运突降，小兰花折枝美利坚
载着中国体操队的飞机在太平洋上空飞行，他们是去美国参加友好运动会。飞机上，全队的人都能感觉到宁波籍小队员桑兰的兴奋。的确，她的心里甭提多高兴了，练体操12年，进国家队也有4个年头了，但这还是她头一回代表国家队征战世界大赛。
姐妹们发现17岁的桑兰独自痴痴地笑，呆呆地想。虽然猜不透她在笑什么、想什么，但有一点她们都非常清楚，好不容易获得参赛资格的桑兰这回准会用她练就的跳马绝活在世界体操赛场上给大家带来一个惊喜。
本届友好运动会体操比赛规定要具备世界前八名资格的选手才能参加，在世界上从未获得过名次的桑兰是经过特批才准予参赛的，她怎能不看重这难得的机会！作为全国女子体操跳马冠军的小桑兰，这次确实是冲着友好运动会女子跳马那块金牌去的。
7月21日晚7时，友好运动会体操跳马决赛即将开始。桑兰精神抖擞地站在助跑线前。在热身活动中，她丈量好步点，并做个熟悉的空翻动作。她上马时明显地犹豫了一下，身体没能在空中完成动作，结果头部着地，造成脊椎受伤，无法动弹。
观众惊呆了！中国教练员、运动员也惊呆了！他们很快从震惊中清醒过来，冲上前去抱住桑兰，大声呼唤着她的名字，但小桑兰已无法动弹了。
7点04分，赛场附近的拿骚县医院便接到了求助电话，桑兰在12分钟后便被救护车送往医院……
尚在幼儿园的桑兰即被招入体校，开始了体操生涯
1981年6月11日，浙江省宁波市海曙区一户普通人家喜添千金。父亲为她取名桑兰。
桑史盛和陈秀凤夫妇对女儿疼爱有加，在女儿成长的每一个日子里，他们都倾注了自己全部的爱。1986年5月，宁波市体校的体操教练张一鸣和曹晓春在中东幼儿园看中了憨态可掬的小桑兰，并将她招入体校，对她进行体操运动的启蒙。
桑兰的父亲在宁波房管局工作，已经下岗的母亲原先在一家皮鞋厂就业。小桑兰特别懂事，小小年纪她就觉得，自己如果不练好体操就对不起爸爸妈妈。在训练中，她特别能吃苦。张一鸣教练说：”其他小孩经常哭，而她再疼再累也不哭，进步也特别明显。”
1988年9月，张一鸣教练决定将桑兰送进省体校师从汤昌言教练。汤教练对少年体操选手的训练有自己独特的方法，著名的体操运动员跳马王子楼云就出自他的门下。在汤昌言教练的指导下，桑兰进步很快，1990年以扎实的基础进入省体操队，师从于我省体操高级教练叶志英。经过叶教练的精心培训，她在省运会上一人包揽了女子全能及四个单项的全部5块金牌，被人们称为”小杨波”（1986年省运会，杨波也拿了5块金牌）。
长期大负荷训练给桑兰带来了一身伤病，要不是腿伤严重，她早在1991年就应该去了国家体操队，而不至于在1994年才踏进国家队的大门。
小小年纪，她便夺得了一系列跳马桂冠
进国家队后，在温州籍教练陆善真的指导下，桑兰的技术水平迅速地上升了一个台阶。出于受身体条件的限制，在高低杠等项目上她没能得到更好的发展，但是在跳马项目中，她却有着惊人的进步。1996年，她便能够做前空翻540度等顶尖动作了（莫慧兰当时也只能做前空翻180度）。在第三届城运会上，桑兰便摘取全能和跳马两块金牌。1997年的全国冠军赛和第八届全运会上，她又连夺跳马桂冠。可想而知，她在女子跳马项目上的实力是无人匹敌的，人们称她为”跳马王”也就理所当然了。
在省体操队叶志英教练的眼里，桑兰是一个十分可爱且率直的孩子。她说，在去年举行的一次全国体操锦标赛上，她发现桑兰在”自己最喜欢的活动”这一栏中填的是”爱玩”和”爱看小人书”。这让她觉得奇怪，因为在她眼里的桑兰是最勤学苦练、最不贪玩的。当她问桑兰时，这位懂事的小姑娘说：”叶指导，如果我不是因为练体操的话，你一定会发现我是最最贪玩的孩子。”叶教练心里一阵难过。于是，在八运会后，她安排桑兰和其他小队员去”未来世界”玩耍。这些五六岁就进体校、长年艰苦训练的小姑娘们来到蓝天白云下的现代化娱乐场，一个个都像”出笼”的小鸟，唱呀，跳呀，桑兰甚至对着旷野大喊大叫。用叶志英教练的话来说”一个个玩疯了”，就连她自己都笑了一天。
第八届全运会结束后，考虑到伤病缠身，加上在各个项目上的能力悬殊较大，尽管自己的跳马技术处于世界顶尖水平，但仍然无法获得参加世界比赛的机会（世界大赛全能不行就参加不了单项比赛），桑兰产生了退役学习的想法。桑史盛夫妇和队里也同意了她的要求。
在桑兰停训两个月后，国家体操队陆善真教练等人来到宁波，他们希望桑兰重新归队，为1999年天津世界体操锦标赛和2000年奥运会作准备。在明知道自己全能水平不高、参赛机会不多的情况下，桑兰权衡再三，还是决定服从国家队需要，义无反顾地回到队里投入了训练。
“你们别哭，要坚强！”病榻上的桑兰对爸妈说
桑史盛夫妇是在电视画面上看到女儿受伤的。但他们不相信自己的眼睛，直到接到市体委教练打来的电话，告诉他们国家体育总局体操司张健司长请他们赴美探望女儿并致以问候时，他们才放声痛哭出来。当时桑史盛在接到电话后的第一句话就是”这不是好事情，最起码会有后遗症。”陈秀凤哭着问”请您老实告诉我，桑兰到底伤到什么程度。”为了解女儿的真实伤情，他们把电话挂到陆善真教练那里。7月23日下午，桑史盛夫妇飞赴北京。
7月25日晚，桑兰父母抵达长岛。组委会为了保障桑兰父母不致过于劳累，安排他们从机场的秘密通道出来，由警车保驾直驱医院，从医院的地下通道进入病房。心急如焚的桑兰父母赶到医院时，桑兰因手术麻醉尚未消除，还在病床上熟睡。见到主治医师里奥内后，桑兰父母双双下跪，请求大夫用最好的药物和最好的医术救救他们唯一的爱女桑兰。里奥内医生也立即回跪，表示他们正在用这种方式治疗桑兰。这种感人的场面使在场的所有人都泪花闪闪。
桑兰醒过来后，微笑着安慰爸妈说：”你们别哭，别悲伤，我没事。你们必须坚强，你们要帮助我战胜伤病。”
17岁的桑兰见到中国代表团的人总是询问谁赢得了奖牌。为了祝福她早日康复，有人送她一串佛珠，桑兰把它转给体操队友，祝福他们多得金牌。她对教练说”我这次没有完成任务，我怎么会摔了呢？我过去跳这动作从没犹豫过呀。”黄玉斌给她读留守在家的体操队队员来信时，声音哽咽读不下去，那封信只好由许多人接力地念下去。为了不使大家难过，桑兰笑着说”你们放心走吧，我没事。你们都来亲亲我吧！”
桑兰的善解人意在中国体操队是人所共知的。袁紫娟教练对记者说：”桑兰真是很懂事，也晓得关心人、体贴人，队里谁有个头疼脑热的，她都会买上水果或鲜花去看望和照顾。这倒霉的事情竟摊到她头上，真太不公平了！”
中国领导人都知道这位勇敢的女孩子
桑兰的伤情牵动了亿万人的心。
桑兰受伤后，受到了中国政府和中美两国人民深切的关怀。国务院副总理李岚清亲自打电话给国家体育总局，询问桑兰的病情和有关情况，向其表示慰问。
7月28日上午，国务院副总理钱其琛和夫人周寒琼在结束对加勒比国家访问抵达纽约后，也前往美国纽约长岛拿骚县医疗中心看望桑兰。一同前往看望桑兰的还有中国驻美国大使李肇星，外交部副部长杨洁篪，中国常驻联合国代表秦华孙和中国驻纽约代总领事邱绍芳等。
钱其琛首先代表中国政府和人民对美国人民和医务工作者对桑兰的关怀和精心治疗表示感谢。他说：”桑兰是个非常坚强、勇敢的女孩子。在中美两国人民的关心下，在医务人民的精心治疗下，我相信我们能给她信心使她重新站立起来。”
在院长介绍了桑兰的大致情况后，钱其琛说：”中国领导人和中国人民都知道这位勇敢的女孩的事。希望我们共同合作，使她能早日康复。”
在病床前，钱其琛亲切地问候了桑兰，对她说：”好好治疗。”桑兰则笑着说”我一定会好起来的。”钱副总理给桑兰送了一只花篮和一筐水果。
8月2日，美国前总统卡特夫妇到医院看望了桑兰，卡特表示，他是代表克林顿总统来对桑兰作私人探访的。
卡特夫妇亲切询问了桑兰的健康状况，鼓励她要对未来充满信心。说现在科技进步，很可能会出现奇迹。卡特夫妇在桑兰的病房逗留了半个小时，送给她一只玩具熊，并在熊掌上签上了自己的名字，祝桑兰早日恢复健康。桑兰和她的父母对卡特总统夫妇的来访一再表示感谢。
当天晚上，卡特在友好运动会闭幕式上说，他被桑兰的勇敢精神感染了。桑兰所表示的精神是一种无私的奉献，这是中国人的精神，也是全美国和全世界的。
桑兰曾表示希望看电影《泰坦尼克号》，但由于该片的录像带在美尚未发行，热心人为她联系从派拉蒙公司得到拷贝。主演该片的男主角也为桑兰的精神所感动，去医院看望了桑兰。为了这次会面，桑兰还专门学了几句英语。
桑兰受伤后，中国体操协会专门设立了”桑兰基金”。世界各地的人们则给桑兰寄来了数不清的慰问卡和信件。到7月30日为止，各地写给桑兰的慰问信和慰问卡已经装满了3大纸箱，仅玩具熊已经超过100个。面对中国和美国各界人士的热情关心，桑兰十分感动地说”我每天都收到四面八方发来的温馨感人的慰问卡和礼物，有那么多人在关心我，使我感到非常幸福。”
浙江乡亲纷纷向桑兰献爱心
桑兰父母赴美探望女儿时，宁波市市长张蔚文专程赶到机场，为桑兰父母送行。
在机场贵宾室，张蔚文握着桑兰父母桑史盛和陈秀凤的手说，我代表市委、市政府来看望你们，向你们表示慰问。
张蔚文说，桑兰在美国第四届友好运动会上发生意外受伤后，省委、省政府领导十分关心和重视。副省长鲁松庭特意两次打电话到宁波，表示对你们的关心和慰问。
张蔚文还电告宁波在美国的宁兴公司负责人安排好桑兰及其父母的生活。他请桑兰父母带上家乡人民给桑兰的1万元慰问金和一封慰问信。
省体委副主任杜兆年受副省长鲁松庭的委托，专程从杭州赶到栎社机场慰问桑兰父母，请他们转达对桑兰的问候。
桑兰的伤情每天都牵动着关心、爱护桑兰的宁波乡亲们。人们更为她坚强的意志所感动，大家纷纷以各种形式来表达自己对桑兰的敬意，祈愿桑兰能够早日康复。桑兰父亲单位的职工为桑兰捐了1万多元人民币，市体委捐款办公室在其中的一天里就收到市民们个人向桑兰捐款16703元。
宁波大和集团的来荣捐款5000元，这是迄今为止收到的个人最大一笔捐款；市房地产局全体职工捐7080元；海曙区房管处职工继26日捐款1万元后，又捐款4113元；一位不愿透露工作单位、已下岗的女同志（后经了解名叫王萍）捐款500元；市15中学初一学生王晶晶也送来了自己的10元零花钱……宁波电台《体坛博览》节目开设”心手相连——亲情递桑兰”信箱，把家乡人民的祝福遥寄给在美国的桑兰。
配合康复治疗，小桑兰坚持不懈
在经过成功的手术之后，桑兰已经能够坐起来了，肩部和肘部的活动能力也得到大大增强。但是，由于第六、七颈椎严重挫伤和错位，美国专家认为桑兰的中枢神经已经断裂，再次站立起来的希望为零，除非奇迹出现。
7月31日，专家将这一情况告诉了桑兰本人，现在桑兰已经接受了这一现实，并积极地配合医生进行康复治疗。至今为止，桑兰的胸部以下依然毫无知觉，手臂除了上臂与大拇指能动以外，手腕与其他的手指均不能动。目前她已开始将勺子绑在手上学习吃饭。尽管手的活动还不灵便，但据大夫反映，桑兰练得很苦，进步也不小。
桑兰与伤痛作斗争的事迹通过国际互联网在中美两国流传。不少热心人为她如何治伤出谋划策，国内更有不少医院愿为桑兰提供最好的医疗服务。在得知桑兰想学电脑后，一家中美合资企业表示：愿意接收桑兰为公司的职员，并出资教她学电脑。桑兰曾感激地对其父母说”我会一辈子记住这些好心人的。他们是我重新扬起生命风帆的精神支柱。”
国家体育总局体操中心主任张健在接受记者采访时明确表示：”我们一定会对桑兰负责到底。无论付出多大代价，我们都将帮助她勇敢地面对新生活的挑战。”
谈到下一阶段的安排时，张健说”关键是要帮助她成为一个自食其力的人。中心的态度非常明确，无论付出多大代价，都会对她负责到底。等桑兰回来后，我们要为她找最好的医院，最好的医生，尽最大努力让其恢复到最好。”
由于此次友好运动会为运动员上了总数为1000万美金的保险，因而桑兰在美国治疗的费用十分充裕，她将得到最好的治疗和康复条件。桑兰父母在美的一切费用由美国组委会支出。桑兰下一步的治疗将分为三步，首先继续促使桑兰的部分神经恢复知觉；其次防止并发症出现；最后使桑兰学会自理，提高生活技能。
生活的路还很长，坚强些——桑兰！
The Team Doctor’s Perspective
Sang Lan as I Saw Her
Team physician of the Chinese gymnastics team — Zhang XiangDr. Zhang Xiang is the Chinese gymnastics team’s traveling physician. She was present when Sang Lan was injured and was the first to diagnose her condition. Afterward, she rode with the competition’s ambulance to the hospital within fifteen minutes, and for most of the following days remained at Sang Lan’s side, personally witnessing the outpouring of care from all quarters, and observing Sang Lan’s innocent, lovable, and indomitable spirit.
At 8 o’clock in the morning, American time, on July 24th, Sang Lan was wheeled out of the special care unit on a stretcher by a nurse, on her way to the operating room.
We kept our promise and placed a strand of Buddhist prayer beads — a gift from a Chinese compatriot — on the stretcher. That compatriot had made a special point of asking us to keep the beads beside Sang Lan during her surgery, as they would bring her good luck.
Sang Lan smiled the whole time. Even after the stretcher disappeared from view, we could almost still make out a beaming face among the cloth dolls and stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling and piled on the headboard in the care unit.
From the evening of the 21st, when she was admitted, strangers had been sending Sang Lan hundreds of toys, get-well cards, and more flowers than anyone could count — all within just two days. The care unit simply could not hold them all; the hospital had to clear out the adjacent room for storage, and in the end that room was filled too. Surrounded by so much love, Sang Lan faced her tremendous pain with great fortitude.
On the Chinese gymnastics team, we call Sang Lan the child who never cries. Gymnasts inevitably take their share of bumps and bruises, but no matter the injury — large or small — Sang Lan never once made a fuss or cried out in pain.
Sang Lan’s only worry was whether she would be able to stand again. On the evening of the day she was admitted, she asked me quite earnestly: “Dr. Zhang, will I not be able to walk?” I told her: “Don’t let your mind run away with you. Your condition won’t be that serious.” Sang Lan asked nothing more after that. During the night, Sang Lan, who was always one to talk in her sleep, kept on muttering, as though troubled by frightening thoughts.
She was too considerate to want to burden others with her own suffering.
After that one question, she almost never spoke of her injuries again.
Sang Lan’s strength of spirit moved everyone in the hospital, and the nurses and doctors all adored this sweet Chinese girl. Several Chinese-American physicians worked at the hospital. Among them were Dr. Zhang Dawei of the radiology department, Dr. Zhang Fan in internal medicine, and a Dr. Hu whose name I have since forgotten. They treated Sang Lan as one of their own family. Dr. Zhang Dawei was working the night shift during those days, yet still came to do his rounds at six every morning, and served as our interpreter throughout. His every move gave the impression that he was himself a member of our delegation.
The American doctors also enjoyed chatting with Sang Lan. On one occasion, they asked her: “Do you have a nickname?” We answered for her first: “Not really, she just goes by Sang Lan.” Sang Lan seemed unsatisfied with this answer: “Sister Liu Xuan gave me a nickname once; she calls me Sangsang.” From that point on, the American doctors and nurses all switched to calling her “Sangsang.”
In the first three hours after admission, the hospital photographed Sang Lan again and again; the films eventually filled several shelves and made for an intimidating sight. Sang Lan was very cooperative with the doctors. Even as she endured the pain throughout, she remained remarkably patient.
The day after admission, traction was required. While setting up the equipment, the doctors had to cut two small locks of hair from either side of Sang Lan’s temples. Sang Lan knew of a teammate who had once had her entire head shaved for surgery, and so she grew a little anxious about herself. On the 23rd, the doctors told Sang Lan, “We’ll be operating on you tomorrow.” Sang Lan immediately asked: “Doctor, will you have to shave all my hair off? I used to have long hair. It was just cut short recently, but I still love having long hair.” The doctors burst out laughing and reassured her: “Of course not, your hair is so beautiful, how could we bear to cut it off?”
After Sang Lan was injured, on the day of a between-event interlude during the Goodwill Games gymnastics competition, the hosts specially arranged for several American children to perform a dance in her honor. Television was broadcasting the event live at the time, and the doctors rushed to the care unit to relay the news to Sang Lan: “Everyone out there is sending you their blessings right now.”
Sang Lan also kept her heart in the arena, and asked after the competition results nearly every day. I told her: “Sang Lan, I’m sorry, this is one thing Dr. Zhang can’t do for you. Foreign names are always such long strings of letters, and I just can’t keep them in my head.” I added: “But they’re thinking of you, too. Every team in the gymnastics competition has sent you a greeting card.”
At three in the afternoon on the 24th, Sang Lan’s surgery was complete. At four, she was brought to the care unit — already conscious by then — which suggested the anesthesia had not been used heavily; the poor girl must have endured no small amount of pain. That night, no matter what she tried, she could not sleep, and kept crying out that her neck hurt. I stood at her bedside and rubbed her shoulders and massaged her arms without stopping. Sang Lan must have felt I was wearing myself out, because in a voice barely above a whisper she forced herself to say: “Dr. Zhang, I’m so sorry to put you through this. I really can’t sleep.”
When I heard those words, I lost all composure. She was in such agony, and yet she was thinking of someone else. I could not bring myself to cry in front of her, so I made an excuse about needing the bathroom and slipped away to wipe my tears in secret … Even now I cannot bring myself to recall the look on her face when she said those words, or to think back on that night, that moment.
When the pain eased a little, Sang Lan would chat with me. We rambled on about everything and nothing. She talked mostly about her teammates. In fact, during those nights she would call out her teammates’ names in her dreams, and when her teammates later sent her hand-folded paper cranes through her parents, she was overjoyed.
Before leaving for abroad, Sang Lan had been attending school with several teammates at the training center. She said to me: “When I get home there’s an English test waiting for me. I should take advantage of these few days in America to study English properly; then that test will be no problem at all, hmph, and I’ll be able to teach them” — meaning her teammates.
I asked her: “Do you miss your mom and dad?” Sang Lan said: “I want them to come, and I don’t want them to come.” I was a little puzzled. Sang Lan went on: “I want them to come because I miss them. But why don’t I want them to come? They only speak the Ningbo dialect; they can’t speak English, and they can’t speak Mandarin either. What would they do if they came?”
After the surgery was over, Sang Lan pointed to the strand of prayer beads and said to me: “Dr. Zhang, give these beads to the team. Let them bless my teammates and help them win gold medals.” I said: “Someone gave those to you; it wouldn’t be right to pass them along to someone else. Tell you what, let me hold them and say a prayer for your teammates.” Right there in front of her, I did exactly what I had said I would, and she was very happy and kept thanking me.
Sang Lan always showed her true nature, without the slightest trace of affectation. On the day the entire gymnastics coaching staff and team members came to visit her in the hospital, everyone was in tears; even head coach Huang Yubin began crying as he read the letter of consolation, and could not go on. Sang Lan comforted everyone and showed not the least sign of distress herself. But once people began talking and laughing again, she started behaving like a wronged child angling for a treat from a parent. Without any ceremony she asked the coaches and teammates to buy her a pair of jeans, a pair of Nike shoes, and a pair of slippers in the same style that Huang Yubin wore.
Afterward the team paid for everything she had asked for; everyone found the time to split up and make the rounds of the shops, going from store to store in search of the exact patterns and styles she wanted. Huang Yubin said: “Never mind one pair of shoes — even ten pairs, a hundred pairs, as long as it helps the child get back on her feet, we’ll go and buy them.”
Among all the gifts she received, Sang Lan had a special fondness for one particular toy panda and one particular kangaroo. I said: “Isn’t this a rabbit?” Sang Lan said: “No, it’s a kangaroo.” Whenever she had nothing else to do, Sang Lan loved to look at that kangaroo — first one eye, then the other — and sometimes she would look at it long enough to laugh out loud. Before going into surgery, she had wanted to take it with her into the operating room, but I talked her out of it.
Sang Lan’s inner world was still a sky of pure clarity — no injuries there.
After Sang Lan went into the operating room, I felt a twinge of regret that I had not let her bring that dear little kangaroo. I don’t know what was going through the child’s mind. Perhaps she was certain that before long she would be leaping and bounding again, just like that kangaroo, and would come home to the arena she loves.
Sang Lan, is that little kangaroo doing well? ■
我眼中的桑兰
中国体操队队医 张香
张香大夫是中国体操队的随队医生，桑兰受伤时，她正在现场，是桑兰伤情的第一诊断人。之后，她随赛会救护车15分钟内赶赴医院，并在此后几日的大部分时间里陪伴桑兰左右，亲身感受了各方对桑兰的爱心，目睹了桑兰纯真、可爱而又坚强的表现。
美国时间7月24日上午8点，桑兰被护士用一辆担架车推出特别护理室，然后去手术室。
我们遵守诺言，把一位华裔同胞赠送的一串佛珠放到担架车上。那位同胞特意嘱托，桑兰动手术时一定要把这串佛珠放在她身边，它会给她带来好运。
桑兰始终微笑着。直到担架车消失，我们仿佛还能在护理室挂在屋顶堆在床头的布娃娃和毛毛动物那里发现一张晃动的笑脸。
从21日晚住院开始，短短两天时间里，许多毫不相识的人给桑兰送来了几百件玩具、慰问卡片和数不清的鲜花。护理室实在盛不下，院方专门腾出隔壁房间存放，最后堆满了整个房间。桑兰被爱心包围着，面对巨大的伤痛，她表现得很坚强。
在中国体操队，我们把桑兰叫作不哭的孩子。体操运动员难免磕磕碰碰，无论大伤小病，桑兰从不撒娇喊痛。
桑兰唯一的担心就是她能不能站起来。入院当天晚上，她很认真地问我：”张大夫，我是不是走不了路了？”我对她说：”别瞎想，你的情况不会那么严重的。”桑兰便不再多问。夜里，平时就爱讲梦话的桑兰不断说着梦话，想着可怕的事情。
她太懂事，不喜欢用自己的痛苦打扰别人。
除了那一次提问，她便几乎不去谈论自己的伤情。
桑兰的坚强感染着医院所有的人，护士们和医生们很喜爱这位可爱的中国小姑娘。医院里有几位来自中国的华人大夫，比如X光室的张大伟大夫、内科的张帆大夫和另一位我忘记名字的胡大夫，更把桑兰当成亲人。张大伟大夫那几天值夜班，每天早晨6点钟仍然赶到医院查房，并且一直担当我们的翻译，其一举一动让人觉得似乎他就是我们代表团的一位成员。
美国医生也喜欢跟桑兰聊天。有一回，他们问桑兰：”你有没有小名？”我们先替她回答：”好像没有吧，就叫桑兰。”桑兰似乎对这个回答并不满意：”刘璇姐给我起过一个名字，叫桑桑。”从此以后，美国的医生和护士便一律改口叫她”桑桑”。
刚入院时的前3个小时，院方一遍又一遍给桑兰拍片，后来那些胶片塞满了好几层书架，看上去很吓人。桑兰跟医生很合作，虽然一直忍受着痛苦，仍显得很有耐心。
入院的次日需要做牵引，装设备时大夫剪掉了桑兰两鬓的两小绺头发。桑兰知道有位队友当年动手术时把脑袋剪成了全秃，便有点儿为自己担心。23日，医生告诉桑兰：”明天就要给你动手术了。”桑兰赶忙问：”大夫，你会不会把我的头发全剃掉？我原来留着长发，刚刚剪短，可我还是喜欢长发。”医生们被她逗乐了，安慰道：”不会的，你的头发这么漂亮，我们哪儿舍得剪掉它啊！”
桑兰受伤后，有一天友好运动会体操比赛中间串场时，主人特意安排几个美国儿童跳了一段舞蹈，为桑兰祝福。当时电视正直播比赛，大夫们纷纷赶到护理室，转告桑兰：”现在大家都在为你祝福呢。”
桑兰也牵挂赛场，几乎每天都要询问比赛结果。我对她说：”桑兰，对不起，张大夫就是这一点不能满足你，外国人总是一长串外文名字，我记不住。”我又说：”人家也挂念你呢，所有参加体操比赛的队伍都给你寄来了贺卡。”
24日下午3点，桑兰的手术完毕。4点，桑兰被推到护理室，这个时候她已经清醒，可以想像麻药用得不多，小姑娘一定忍受了不少痛苦。夜里，她无论如何也睡不着，直喊脖子疼。我站在她床前，不停地为她揉肩、按摩双臂。桑兰大约觉得我太辛苦，用十分虚弱的声音吃力地对我说：”张大夫，对不起，让您辛苦了，我真的睡不着。”
听完这话，我控制不住自己，她疼成那样，还知道关心别人。我不敢对着她掉泪，只好假称上厕所，悄悄抹掉自己的泪水……唉，直到现在我都不敢回忆她说这句话时的表情，不敢回忆那晚那个时刻。
疼痛稍轻时，桑兰便跟我聊天。我们东拉西扯，谈天说地。桑兰更多地讲她的队友。实际上，那几天每天夜里她都在梦里喊出队友的名字，后来队友们让她父母带来他们亲手折叠的千纸鹤时，她高兴坏了。
桑兰出国前和几个队友正在训练局院里上学，她对我说：”回家后还有一张英语试卷等着我呢，我得趁在美国这几天好好学英语，回去后那张试卷就不在话下了，哼，我就可以教她们（指队友）了。”
我问她：”想不想爸爸妈妈？”桑兰说：”我想让他们来，又不想让他们来。”我有点不明白。桑兰继续说：”想让他们来是因为我想他们，为什么不想让他们来呢，他们只会讲宁波话，既不会讲英语，又不会说普通话，来了可怎么办？”
手术结束后，桑兰指着那串佛珠对我说：”张大夫，你把这串佛珠送给队里吧，让它保佑队友们拿金牌。”我说：”这是别人送你的，不好再转送别人。这样吧，我拿着它为你的队友祈祷一下。”当着她的面，我按我说的去做了，她很高兴，直感谢我。
桑兰总是流露真性情，一点儿也不矫揉造作。那天体操队全体教练和队员来医院看望她，大家都掉了泪，连总教练黄玉斌读慰问信时都掉了泪，再也读不下去。桑兰安慰大家，自己显得一点儿也不伤心。等大家开始有说有笑时，她开始表现得像一个受委屈的孩子跟家长讨好吃的似的，她毫不客气地让教练和队友帮她买一条牛仔裤、一双耐克鞋和一双黄玉斌穿的那种款式的拖鞋。
后来，队里出钱——满足了她的要求，大家抽空分头上街，挨个商店跑，专找她要的那种花色和样式。黄玉斌说：”别说是一双鞋，就是十几双、上百双，只要能让孩子站起来，我们都愿意去买。”
在所有礼物中，桑兰独爱其中一只熊猫和另一只袋鼠。我说：”这是一只兔子吧。”桑兰说：”不，这是一只袋鼠。”闲着没事，桑兰最爱看那只袋鼠，左一眼，右一眼，有时看着笑出声来。动手术前，她想拿着它进手术室，被我劝阻住了。
桑兰的内心世界还是一片纯净的天空，那里没有受伤。
桑兰进手术室后，我有点后悔没让她带上那只可爱的袋鼠。我不知道孩子是怎么想的，或许她坚信不久她就可以像那只袋鼠一样蹦蹦跳跳，再回到她心爱的赛场。
桑兰，那只袋鼠现在还好吗？■
A Letter from Sang Lan
I Will Become Someone Strong in Life
— A letter from Sang Lan to everyoneThank you to all who have shown concern for me — my heartfelt thanks to you all.
Please don’t worry, I will not lose confidence. I am exercising every day now (active movement of the arms and assisted movement of the lower limbs). What I think about now is that, as a member of a national team, everything I do must be worthy of that title; my every action must reflect the spirit of the Chinese people. I want to be stronger than my own mother and father. I am determined to become someone who is strong in life; I will never bow to hardship, and I will fight to the last against my injury with an unyielding spirit, so as to repay all those who love me. Please rest assured: I will recover as quickly as I can, return home, and thank each of you in person for everything you have given me.
Sang Lan
August 6, 1998, in the United States
Brief biography of Sang LanSang Lan was born on June 11, 1981. She stands 1.40 meters tall and weighs 35 kilograms, and is a native of Ningbo, Zhejiang.
She entered the national team at the end of 1993. In 1995 she won the all-around title, the vault title, and the floor exercise silver medal at the National City Games; in 1995 she won the vault at the National Championships; in 1996 she took vault silver at the National Championships; in 1997 she won the vault at the 8th National Games and vault silver at the National Championships; in 1998 she placed third on vault at the National Championships.
Sang Lan has a cheerful and lively personality, and enjoys reading and chatting in her spare time.
Sang Lan suffered traumatic fractures and dislocations of cervical vertebrae 5, 6, and 7, resulting in severe high-level spinal cord injury. Many people are now deeply concerned about Sang Lan; will she be able to stand again?
Cervical fractures and dislocations are not in themselves the most fearsome thing; what is fearsome is the injury such fractures or dislocations cause to the cervical spinal cord. Because the spinal cord is part of the central nervous system, an injury to it immediately causes a loss of sensation and motor function below the level of the injury, along with loss of bladder and bowel control — that is, high-level paraplegia.
Sang Lan is currently in a state of spinal shock. Spinal shock refers to what occurs immediately after the spinal cord sustains a sudden traumatic injury: below the level of the damage, the limbs immediately develop flaccid paralysis, muscle tone is weakened, and all sensation, motor function, and reflexes disappear, along with loss of bladder and bowel control. It generally takes several weeks to pass through the spinal shock phase; only once spinal shock has resolved is it possible to accurately assess the prognosis — that is, to determine the extent of sensory and motor impairment below the level of injury, and the likelihood of recovery.
According to experts at the China Rehabilitation Research Center, Sang Lan’s condition is relatively serious: reports indicate that cervical vertebrae 6 and 7 are displaced by as much as 75 percent, and American specialists likewise consider Sang Lan’s recovery to be both difficult and long-term. But as for standing again, it is not yet possible to say there is no hope at all, and people are praying that a miracle will come to her.
With advances in science, the international medical community has already conducted successful spinal cord regeneration experiments in animals; it is believed that clinical applications may be possible in the not-too-distant future. People are eagerly awaiting good news from Sang Lan. ■
New Sports, September 15, 1998
我要成为生活的强者
——桑兰致大家的一封信
谢谢所有关心我的人，我真心地谢谢大家。
请大家放心，我不会失去信心的，我现在天天都在加强运动（手臂的主动运动和下肢的帮助运动）。我现在想的是，作为一个国家队的队员，我的一切表现都要符合这个称号，我的一举一动都要体现出中国人的精神来，我要比我的爸爸妈妈还坚强。我一定努力成为生活的强者，决不会向困难低头，一定会以百折不挠的精神与伤病斗争到底，以回报钟爱我的人们。请你们放心，我会尽快养好伤，回国当面感谢你们给我的一切。
桑兰
1998年8月6日于美国
桑兰简历
桑兰，1981年6月11日出生，身高1.40米，体重35公斤，浙江宁波人。
1993年底进入国家队。1995年获全国城市运动会全能冠军，跳马冠军，自由体操亚军；1995年全国冠军赛跳马冠军；1996年全国锦标赛跳马亚军；1997年第八届全运会跳马冠军，全国锦标赛跳马亚军；1998年全国冠军赛跳马第三。
桑兰性格开朗活泼，平时喜欢看书、聊天。
桑兰是外伤性颈椎5、6、7骨折、错位，造成严重的脊髓高位损伤。现在许多人非常关心桑兰，她还能站起来吗？
颈椎骨折、错位本身并不可怕，可怕的是骨折或错位对颈段脊髓造成的损伤，因为脊髓是神经中枢的一部分，损伤后即会发生损伤平面以下感觉、运动的丧失，大小便失禁，即高位截瘫。
目前桑兰还处于脊髓休克期，所谓脊髓休克，就是脊髓突然遭外伤后，在其损伤的平面以下立即出现肢体的弛缓性瘫痪，肌张力减弱，各种感觉、运动、反射均消失，大小便失禁。一般数周可度过脊髓休克期，脊髓休克期过后才能较准确地估计预后，即判断受伤平面以下的感觉、运动功能受损的程度及恢复的可能。
据中国康复研究中心的专家介绍，桑兰的病情是较为严重的，因从报道看颈椎6、7节脱位高达75%，所以美国的专家也认为，桑兰的恢复是困难而长期的。但重新站起来，目前还不能说一点无望，人们在祈祷奇迹能在她身上出现。
随着科学的发展，目前在脊髓损伤恢复方面，国际医学界已经在动物身上进行了成功的脊髓再生实验，相信不久的将来有可能用于临床。人们在热切地期待桑兰的佳音。■
New Sports, September 15, 1998
The Team Coach’s Perspective
Sang Lan, We Are Praying for You
Coach of the Chinese gymnastics team — Liu Qunlin
Ever since Sang Lan was injured, my spirits have been utterly wretched, especially in the days since returning from America, when I keep feeling as though I left a piece of my own flesh and blood behind over there. Now teacher and student are separated by ten thousand miles; Sang Lan is suffering on that side of the world, fighting tenaciously against her illness, and yet I — I cannot do a single thing to help her. I would truly rather have stayed there, bent over Sang Lan’s bedside, keeping her company with a little conversation, offering her some comfort, and seeing her through this ordeal together.
Coming back to Beijing and throwing myself into training — when roll was called, that thin, slight girl at the bottom of our group’s roster was simply gone, and my eyes went blurry again. Sang Lan is the most obedient girl in our group, and I mean that; I am not saying it just because she has been so gravely injured.
From the time she joined the national team at the end of 1993 and we began spending our days together, she is the only one in our entire group who, in five years, never once talked back to me or tried to wriggle out of anything. While her close friends Liu Xuan, Kui Yuanyuan, Meng Fei, Bi Wenjing, and Ji Liya were one by one becoming world-class competitors, Sang Lan simply kept her head down and chased after them, quietly pushing herself harder. To be selected as one of three female gymnasts representing us at the Goodwill Games, she had been holding her breath and building up all her energy — determined to go head-to-head on vault, her strongest event, against the great names of the world.
That day, when we assembled downstairs before the competition, I took one look and — wow! Little Sangsang had sprayed so much gel on that little head of hers it was gleaming; when I reached out to touch it my hand practically stuck. I could see the child was taking the competition very seriously and was very excited, so I specifically reminded her to keep her mind calm. Sang Lan nodded obediently.
I never imagined that would turn out to be the beginning of this tragic injury. My dear little Sangsang — in one split second during vault warm-up before the competition, disaster struck. Even after she was injured and lying in the ambulance, she was still asking me: “Will I still be able to do gymnastics?” She had such a whole-hearted love for the sport. What could I say at that moment? I held back my tears and nodded.
A child is still a child. Even after her injury, Sang Lan continued to give us many pure and innocent moments. I remember the next day, when she came around and saw me sitting nearby, she immediately started chattering: “Who won the uneven bars?”
“Khorkina!” I told her.
“She must be so happy again. How come she hasn’t come to see me?” Sang Lan had always looked up to Khorkina as her idol, and had been looking forward for a long time to getting a photo taken with her.
“Little Sangsang, get better soon. Next year’s World Championships are in Tianjin, right here in China. Khorkina is sure to go, and by then Coach Liu will swallow her pride and drag her over to take a picture with you!” Sang Lan was delighted to hear this, and immediately asked: “How come Dominique hasn’t come to see me either?”
When I heard that, I thought, Wow, this little one is lying in a hospital bed and still thinking about everyone! Right then I teased her: “Are you hoping Clinton will come visit you next?” She laughed.
After I returned home I heard that she had specifically requested to meet Leonardo DiCaprio, the lead actor of Titanic. I wasn’t there to see it, but I know she must have been over the moon. Just look at the wall of her dormitory room, covered from top to bottom in large photographs of this young man. Liu Xuan and the others told me that whenever a magazine came out with even the tiniest photo of Leonardo in it, little Sang Lan would go and buy it.
But the mood among us adults was far heavier. I will never forget that day in America when I met Sang Lan’s parents — the moment her mother and I fell into each other’s arms and wept. We tried our best to stay strong in front of the child, but our shared child had been so gravely hurt. Can a single word like “pain” even begin to capture what was in our hearts?
Little Sang Lan’s injury also deeply shook my own family. Just a couple of days ago my daughter went to Hong Kong for an event, and when she and a few classmates made wishes up on Victoria Peak, she called on everyone to sincerely offer a prayer for her mother’s athlete. I imagine that must have been a deeply moving scene.
What I want most to do now, at each prearranged time, is wait by the phone for the call from America — to hear news of our little Sang Lan, to hear her voice, to say hello. Truly, I believe a miracle will come. Little Sang Lan will stand up again and come back to us. Because our love will gather into a great and powerful force, and it will hold up our dear little Sang Lan! ■
New Sports, September 15, 1998
桑兰，为你祈祷
中国体操队教练 刘群琳
打从桑兰受伤以后，我的心情一直糟透了，特别是从美国回来后的这些日子，我老觉得是把自己的骨肉丢在了那里。现在我们师生远隔万里，桑兰在那边受苦，在和病魔顽强地抗争，可是我，却什么忙也帮不上她。我真的情愿留在那里，伏在桑兰的床前，陪她聊聊天，安慰安慰她，和她共度难关。
回到北京投入训练，集合时一点数就少了我们组队末那个又瘦又小的她，我眼前又是一片朦胧。桑兰是我们组中最最听话的姑娘，真的，我不是因为她受了重伤才这样说。
从她1993年底进入国家队跟我朝夕相处开始，5年时间没有跟我顶过牛、要过赖的我们组里独她一个。在她的好友刘璇、奎媛媛、孟菲、毕文静、吉丽雅一个个成了世界级选手时，她只是默默在追赶，暗暗在加劲儿，这次能作为三名女队员之一参加友好运动会，桑兰是憋足了劲儿要在强项跳马上和世界名将搏一搏的。
那天她比赛前我们在楼下集合时，我一看，嗬！小桑桑，小头上不知喷了多少发胶，光亮亮的，我一摸都拉手，我看得出孩子对比赛很重视，也很兴奋，就特地提醒她脑子要静，桑兰听话地点了点头。
我没想到那竟成了这次受伤悲剧的开始，我可爱的小桑桑，在赛前跳马练习时的一瞬间，却发生了不幸。当她受了伤躺在救护车上还在问我：”我还能练体操吗？”她对体操有一腔挚爱，那时，我能说什么呢？我忍住泪水，点点头。
孩子毕竟是孩子，就在桑兰受伤以后，她仍然给我们带来了许多纯真的瞬间。记得第二天她醒过来，看见我坐在一旁，就跟我打开了话匣子：”高低杠谁得冠军了？”
“霍尔金娜！”我告诉她。
“这回她可又高兴了，她怎么不来看看我呀？”桑兰一直把霍尔金娜看成是榜样，为跟她合一张影，桑兰已经盼了好久。
“小桑桑，快好起来，明年世锦赛在咱们中国天津，霍尔金娜肯定去，到时候刘导豁出老脸也得拉她跟你照张相！”桑兰一听我这么说，可高兴了，又问：”多米尼克怎么不来看看我呀？”
我一听，嗬！这小家伙躺在病床上还谁都惦念着，当时我就逗她：”你是不是还想让克林顿来看你呀？”她笑了。
我回国后听说她点名见到了《泰坦尼克号》的男主角莱昂纳多，虽然我没看见，但我知道她肯定乐坏了，你看她宿舍那个墙上，全是这个小伙子的大照片，我听刘璇她们说，外边杂志上只要有莱昂纳多的照片，哪怕小得不得了，小桑兰也都给买回来了。
但我们这些大人的心情就显得沉重多了，我永远也忘不了那天在美国与桑兰父母见面时我和她妈妈相拥痛哭的情景，在孩子面前我们都尽量地坚强，但我们共同的孩子受了重伤，我们的心岂是一个”痛”字了得？
小桑兰的受伤也深深地震惊了我的家人，前两天我女儿去香港参加活动，在当地太平山她和几个同学许愿时，她招呼大家都虔诚地为她妈妈的队员作一次祈祷，我想那一定是一幕感人的场景。
现在，我最愿意做的事就是在每次约好的时间接到美国来的电话，听听我们小桑兰的消息，听听她的声音，问候问候她。说真的，我相信奇迹一定会出现的，小桑兰一定能站起来，回到我们中间。因为我们的爱会凝聚成一股强大的力量，支撑起我们可爱的小桑兰！■
Note: Correlation does not equal causation. The FIG replaced the vaulting horse with the vaulting table after Sang Lan’s accident. However, contrary to what is often stated in gymnastics circles, her accident was not the impetus for the change.
The idea had been under consideration for decades. Hardy Fink, Siegfried Fischer, and Yuri Titov had already proposed changing the vaulting apparatus in the mid-1970s, although nothing came of those early proposals. Years later, Janssen-Fritsen installed several experimental apparatuses—including a prototype table—in Dieter Hofmann’s gym in Liestal, Switzerland. The FIG Men’s Technical Committee visited the gym in 1996, and from that point, the introduction of a new vaulting apparatus was largely a matter of further development and testing.
In 1999, the combined MTC-WTC vote on the new apparatus was 13–1 in favor, with Jackie Fie casting the sole dissenting vote. The FIG Executive Committee made the final decision during the 2000 Olympic Games, approving the new vaulting table for introduction at the 2001 World Championships.
More on Chinese gymnastics