Editor's note: In his 2022 New Year message, President Xi Jinping looked forward to the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, stressing that "we will dedicate a grand Olympic event to the world wholeheartedly." The world is looking forward to China, and China is ready." From now on, The Southern Metropolis Daily and N Video launched a special plan - "Countdown Interview of the World Looking Forward to the Winter Olympics in China and Beijing", interviewing officials of the International Olympic Committee, heads of foreign Winter Olympic delegations and other authoritative figures from all walks of life, showing the extensive participation and support of the international community, as well as the confidence and expectation of a wonderful, extraordinary and outstanding Olympic event.
"The Australian players are looking forward to achieving their dreams with outstanding performances at this upcoming ice and snow event." With the opening of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics approaching, Geoff Lipshut, head of the Australian Winter Olympic delegation, was interviewed by Nandu and N video interviews, and he spoke highly of the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics and expressed his expectations.
Jeff Lipschutt was a former freestyle ski instructor. Since the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, he has participated in seven Winter Olympics with the Australian delegation as a coach or official. In May 2020, he was officially appointed head of the Australian Winter Olympic team, and this Year's Beijing Winter Olympics will be his first time to lead the team as the head of the team.
In response to the remarks of some politicians and media, Jeff Lipschut told Nandu and N Video, "The decision of the politicians will not affect sports, the attitude of the Australian Winter Olympic delegation is very clear, we will not pay attention to the politicization of the Winter Olympics, but 100% focus on the game itself." ”
Jeff Lipschut, head of the Australian Winter Olympics delegation.
【Interview with Jeff Lipschutt】
Talk about the fate of the Winter Olympics: he will lead the team as the leader of the team for the first time
Nandu: Can you talk about your fate with the Winter Olympics?
Jeff Lipschut: I'm from a ski resort on the australian edge, and in the late 1980s I was lucky enough to meet a very good skier at a club in my hometown. So I began to grope and guide her, accompanying her to the competition as a coach, helping her climb step by step, and finally winning the world championship.
After a series of events, I gradually realized that in order to help mobilize more luck, we need more sophisticated technical knowledge. So I changed my identity, became a team manager, and started running some sports. Later, I joined the Australian Olympic Committee and successively served as the CEO and deputy head of the Winter Olympic delegation, mainly responsible for working with the technical supervisor team, coordinating the management of athletes' training routines, and guiding them to play better on the field in a scientific way.
For the first time in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, I will lead our team as head of delegation. Unlike in the past, this new role means that I am responsible for all aspects of the delegation and liaise with the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee to ensure that the whole team arrives in Beijing safely and smoothly and completes the competition.
Nandu: You've participated in seven Winter Olympics. In your eyes, what is the unique charm of the Olympic Games?
Jeff Lipschut: I've always believed that the core of the Olympics is people. It brings people from different regions, cultures, and backgrounds together to compete for the same goals. That's why people can see the most direct and pure impact of sport on humanity on the Olympic arena – when an athlete or team fails or plays out of order, they feel stressed; and when they break through themselves to victory, the incomparable excitement and happiness is irreplaceable by any other experience. Either feeling or emotion will become a precious memory and constantly motivate those involved to be better selves.
Talking about Beijing preparations: the needs of athletes are fully considered
Nandu: You visited China in 2019 to learn about the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Which areas did you visit at the time? How does it feel?
Jeff Lipschut: On that trip to China, I visited all the divisions and saw a lot of construction going on around the Winter Olympics, and I think the whole preparation was very good.
What struck me the most was that all the venues there were world class. A number of venues that have already appeared at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing will continue to play a role in this Winter Olympics, and many of the new additions are even more impressive. At that time, I saw that some of the venues had been completed and the Yanqing area was still under construction, but I could already see the prototype of the alpine skiing and bobsleigh track, which was very beautiful and spectacular. The facilities around the venue and the various equipment in the Olympic Village also fully consider the needs of the athletes and are very convenient.
We also took a helicopter and overlooked the high-speed railway connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou from the air. I learned that with this high-speed train, the time for athletes to travel between the two divisions has been reduced to about an hour. All of the above makes me believe that the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee and the Chinese people are ready for this upcoming ice and snow event.
Nandu: In order to participate in this Winter Olympics, what efforts have you made with your team?
Jeff Lipschutt: The global pandemic has made this Winter Olympics very different from the past. In the past, we only needed to focus on polishing our expertise, but this time, we had to devote a certain amount of energy to the challenges of COVID-19 in addition to training and competition. Last season, our competitors competed around the world without vaccine protection, earning points to qualify for the Winter Olympics. Although the process is difficult, everyone is working hard to get on the top stage.
Talk about the expectations of the competition: The harvest in Beijing may exceed expectations
Nandu: What do you think of the previous remarks of individual politicians and media?
Jeff Lipschut: Politicians' decisions will not affect sport, and the attitude of the Australian Winter Olympic delegation is very clear, we will not pay attention to the politicization of the Winter Olympics, but 100% focus on the game itself. I believe our athletes will not be affected.
For athletes, the Olympic Games are undoubtedly the pinnacle of their sports careers, and they may have prepared for it for 10, 15 or even 20 years, and the effort can be imagined, not to mention that many athletes have only one chance to participate in the Olympic Games in their entire careers. Australian athletes are looking forward to realizing their sports dreams with outstanding performances on the stage of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Nandu: The theme slogan of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is "Together to the Future". What do you think?
Jeff Lipschut: I think it's a really great manifesto. In fact, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many international exchanges have been forced to press the pause button in the past two years, and in some ways, the distance between people's hearts seems to be becoming estranged. The slogan "Together for the Future" tells the world that we are reuniting through sporting events.
I think this is especially important for young people. Because the future of this world is in the hands of the younger generation, they need to move forward hand in hand based on mutual knowledge and understanding.
Nandu: What are your expectations for the Beijing Winter Olympics?
Jeff Lipschut: In the previous Winter Olympics, Australia has won a total of 15 medals, including 5 gold, silver and bronze medals. Snow sports such as snowboarding and freestyle skiing have always been our strong points.
This time we will play in the Beijing Winter Olympics with a small but fine team, so it is conservatively estimated that one to three medals will be our basic goal. Of course, we also have some newcomers who have won the World Cup and are also expected to hit the hope of the medal, which means that our harvest in Beijing is likely to exceed expectations.
The world is looking forward to the countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics in China
Chief planner: Rong Mingchang
Executive Planner: Wang Jia
Coordinator: Nandu reporter Xiang Xueni
This issue is written by: Nandu reporter Weng Anqi intern Zhang Ziyi