Introduction: 42 years ago, he led the Chinese team out of the world and let the Chinese flag fly in the Winter Olympics.
With the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics about to be held, Uncle Zhao from Changchun could not contain his excitement, put on his skates and came to the ice rink and began his "performance moment".
This Uncle Zhao is no one else, it is China's first Winter Olympic standard-bearer. In 1980, at the 13th Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, "Uncle Zhao" Zhao Weichang raised the five-star red flag and led the Chinese team into the arena for the first time to represent the Chinese team in the Winter Olympics. This photo records the green years of Zhao Weichang and his teammates.
Participating in the Olympics was undoubtedly the dream of all athletes in the world, but the Chinese athletes at that time were isolated from the Olympics for a long time. Before 1978, China did not regain its legal seat on the International Olympic Committee, so Chinese athletes never had the opportunity to participate in this sports event. Even so, China's athletes are still pursuing their own peaks. Zhao Weichang, who was born in 1950, was at the peak of his physical fitness. Before 1980, Zhao Weichang had won the men's national speed skating all-around championships for 11 consecutive times, breaking the national record 26 times. At home, Zhao Weichang's opponent is only himself. Standing on the invincible mountain, the cold wind blew him a little lonely.
Zhao Weichang, who is invincible at home, has also proved himself in the international arena. In 1975, the 25-year-old "Xiao Zhao" finished 500 runners-up at the World Championships in Oslo, giving the world its first taste of Chinese speed.
In 1980, Zhao Weichang was 30 years old, from a young general to an "old Zhao". When he heard the news that China had been awarded the Winter Olympics, he was overjoyed: the opportunity to prove himself on the international stage had come! On February 13, 1980, Zhao Weichang raised the national flag and led the Chinese team on the field.
There are mountains outside the mountains, and the final results of the Chinese team are not ideal, and none of the projects have entered the top eight. And Zhao Weichang's best ranking also stopped at 25th. However, for him and his teammates, it is enough to have the opportunity to stand on the field and fight for China.
Time flies, and today's Uncle Zhao has not left the ice and snow track he loves. Of all the retired masters on the ice rink, he is still the fastest skater.
At that time, the light train slowly drove past the Beijing Winter Olympics, and 71-year-old Zhao Weichang sat there, looking at the past with affectionate eyes, all of which were the shadows of his 25-year-old.