On December 30, 2021, during the China Ice and Snow Media Open Day, the Three Teams of the Chinese Speed Skating Team, the Bobsleigh Team and the Steel Frame Snow Team jointly gave media interviews online, and Coach Li Yan accepted the interview and actively answered the questions of the on-site reporters.
In the four speed skating World Cup sub-stations of the season that have ended, the Chinese speed skating team won 4 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze, 35 people set personal bests, and 4 people broke the national record. Looking back at the World Cup and looking forward to the Beijing Winter Olympics, Li Yan, head coach and leader of the Chinese speed skating national training team, said, "The Beijing Winter Olympics are in good terms of time and place, we look forward to creating excellent results, and everyone can look forward to us. ”
Li Yan, chairman of the Chinese Skating Association. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Hou Zhaokang)
In the past, people habitually called Li Yan the "godmother of short roads", but now Li Yan's identity is the head coach and leader of the Chinese speed skating national training team. Picking up the coaching whip, Li Yan said that this time her role is layout and co-ordination, "The real battle on the front line is the head coach of each group, who leads their respective athletes to achieve such results." I have to do more to help the coaches and I am very fortunate to be able to join such a great team in the final stages of the preparation. ”
When connecting, the reporter noticed that the room of the speed skating team was plastered with window flowers and blessing characters, and each team member and coach held colorful balloons in their hands to welcome the coming New Year. Behind the elaborate arrangement is actually Li Yan's good intentions, "As a team leader, I hope to make a good atmosphere in the team, enhance the cohesion of the team, and stimulate the potential of every athlete." Li Yan said.
This season, Ning Zhongyan became the biggest surprise of the Chinese speed skating team. Norway 1500 meters champion, Canada 1000 meters champion, Poland 1500 meters runner-up, the United States 1500 meters runner-up, plus Norway and teammates Wang Haotian, Lian Ziwen won the men's short distance team pursuit championship, Ning Zhongyan "multi-point blossoming" and stable performance. Everyone lamented that he was comprehensive and many people were worried about his physical fitness problems in many competitions.
Ning Zhongyan in the game. Xinhua News Agency/Midland
In this regard, Ning Zhongyan said, "Although there are more participants, the cycle of the Winter Olympics is still relatively long, I will focus on the first item (1500 meters) of my own comparison, and I will be more confident in the back if the first item is better." Talking about the expectation of results, Ning Zhongyan said, "At the Beijing Winter Olympics, it is my biggest goal to play the best state. ”
Before Ning Zhongyan's sudden rise, Gao Tingyu had already achieved a medal "zero" breakthrough for Chinese men's speed skating at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Four years later in Beijing, the more mature Gao Tingyu had the opportunity to change the color of the medal. "Participating in the Winter Olympics at the doorstep of my home, an opportunity that has not been met in a hundred years, I want to give full play to the best state and show it to the people of the whole country." Gao Tingyu said.
Compared with Ning Zhongyan's stability, Gao Tingyu's World Cup journey seems to be somewhat tortuous, after the strong victory of the Polish station, he missed the Norwegian station due to a waist injury, and the United States station was sent off for a starting foul. Summarizing the problems that appeared in the World Cup, Gao Tingyu said, "Playing iron still needs to be hard, I have been improving the starting details, and I feel that it is not a certain aspect, but all aspects that need to be improved." ”
Gao Tingyu in the game. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Rafael)
The "speed skating twin stars" are shining, the four-stop World Cup is over, and the women's team has also shown its potential. In the calgary, Canada, Han Mei, Li Qishi and Ahanar Adak won a bronze medal in the women's team pursuit for the first time with a time of 2:58.428.
Liang Linhua, coach of the women's middle distance group, said that from the results of the World Cup, the women's team chase event is a breakthrough point, and now the athletes' confidence is very strong, and the next step will be to change the concept and strive to achieve a breakthrough.
Wen | Xu Sijia