Compared with cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and short-track speed skating, there are still some such events on the field of the Winter Olympics, which require cooperation and efforts between athletes to reach the top of victory. From two-person snowmobiles and figure skating to hockey and curling, the ice-and-snow arena and the athletes compete side by side to compose a "Song of Ice and Fire" that can only be found here. Falling again and again, getting up again and again, they are no longer alone to face, a person to overcome difficulties, behind them, there are partners who share honor and disgrace.
Sui Wenjing / Han Cong in the 2021-2022 Figure Skating Grand Prix in Italy.
Sui Wenjing/Han Cong
Nationality: China Project: Pair Skating
Accomplish each other in the midst of hurt
Sometimes dancing, sometimes jumping in the air, every jump, lift, and rotation of the athletes gives people the visual effect of "dancing to clarify the shadow", which triggers the emotional resonance of the audience - this is the charm of figure skating. Among them, double figure skating, as a combination of force and beauty, is very visually impactful and ornamental, and can most attract the attention of the audience.
When it comes to the figure skating duo, China's Sui Wenjing/Han Cong have been competing on the field for many years, and they have gone through the unremarkable training years and experienced the frustrated time full of injuries. "Fight for the country" and "look forward to the national anthem", the dream is always buried in the heart, inspiring them to constantly challenge and surpass themselves.
From the youthful fame of the World Youth Championships, to the emotional embrace of Jinqiao, from the regret of Pyeongchang and the champion passing by, to the domineering return of Saitama who belongs to the king... Injuries are a topic they can't escape, and it's also a haze they can't escape.
Especially before the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing fractured her toes during pre-match training. Despite her foot injury, she finally stood on the coveted Winter Olympics, but she was helpless to finally win the second place in the free skating by the German combination of Savichenko and Masott with a gap of 0.43 points.
After the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing underwent surgery for a fatigue fracture in her right foot and missed most of the season. Han Cong underwent hip surgery in April 2020. But the mentality of the two is always positive, "after experience to grow." Sui Wenjing said.
Dormant in an Olympic cycle, sui wenjing/Han Cong is now more and more mature. This season, Sui Wenjing/ Han Cong won the Grand Prix in Canada and Italy, showing a high competitive status.
Every highlight moment on the ice rink comes from struggle and perseverance. Break through the difficulty, improve artistic expression, increase performance stability... Step by step, they train steadily and constantly prove themselves on the ice rink.
For the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong's goal has never changed, "Our goal is always the same, that is, to raise the national flag and play the national anthem." ”
Gregorio/Holland
Nationality: United States Project: Double bobsleigh
Tacit understanding is the premise of lying to win
American bobsleigher Di Gregorio and his teammate Holland are still vivid in their performances in last season's competition, and soon after, these two "old partners" will appear on the beijing Winter Olympics. According to the newly released list of U.S. Winter Olympic delegations, Gregorio and Holland's names are prominent, and they will continue to represent the United States in the double bobsleigh event.
Usually, the double bobsleigh competition is two rounds, that is, two athletes operate a sleigh to slide twice, and the total length of time each team is calculated, the less time, the higher the ranking, the higher the performance.
During the race, athletes need to sit on the sled with their legs straight and their toes inward and forward. After the referee issues the order, the athletes use their non-skid gloves to pull the ice with their hands to speed up their sled faster. Then lie on your back with your arms folded to your side. Use the twisting of the body to control the direction of the sled. It takes a lot of physical control and judgment to finish the game by sitting up and slapping cricket when you finally reach the finish line.
As a project that can be "lying down and winning" in various competitions of the Winter Olympic Games, the sled seems to be just a slide of "human sled in one", but in fact, it has a high risk, and in the process of high speed of the sleigh, athletes need to control balance and speed through strength.
Due to the need for two people to "take the helm" at the same time, the double sled also puts forward higher requirements for the tacit understanding between athletes. The entire glide is dominated by the players in front of you, and every slight misstep can be fatal.
Giyom Caesaron/Gabriela Papadaggis
Nationality: French Project: Ice Dance
Prepare together without regrets
French ice dance duo Giyom Sizelong, who regretted missing the gold medal at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and partner Gabriela Papadaggis are actively preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. "China is a blessed land for us. So I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Winter Olympics. For Mr. Caesaron and his partner Papadaggis, China is a place where good luck can be brought to them.
In 2017, Ryu Nishizawa and his partner Papadagis won the World Cup Figure Skating Tournament in China and became the first ice dance group in history to cross the threshold of 200 points in total. In addition to their unforgettable experience in Beijing, Mr. Nishizawa and his partner Papadagis also won their first World Cup and World Championship titles in Shanghai.
From 2015 to 2019, Caesaron and partner Papadaggis won the figure skating European Championships ice dance event for five consecutive years, losing to the Russian duo of Snikina/Katsarapov in 2020 and not competing in 2021.
For the French ice dance duo Caesaron/Papadaggis, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are destined to be a pity. Because of their mistakes in the short dance competition, although they ranked first in the free dance competition, they still finished second and won the silver medal, losing to Vancouver Winter Olympic champion Voltu/Moyle.
In January, concerned about contracting the coronavirus, Caesaron/Papadaggis decided to withdraw from the European Figure Skating Championships in Estonia.
Considering health factors and the spread of COVID-19 around the world, the duo, who are currently training in Montreal, Canada, see no need to risk infection to next week's European Championships. Contracting COVID-19 at this stage will give them preparations, and even participating in the Winter Olympics will increase the risk. The French Skating Federation said in the announcement.
Eric Starr and his 24 comrades-in-arms
Nationality: Canada Sport: Ice Hockey
Good memories learn to cherish
The countdown to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics has begun, with Canada, which won the 2021 World Hockey Championships, unveiling a 25-man list of men's ice hockey players at the Beijing Winter Olympics, led by 37-year-old veteran Eric Starr.
The Canadian men's ice hockey team has the strongest squad in the world, having won 9 Winter Olympic men's ice hockey championships and 18 World Men's Ice Hockey Championships, making it the ice hockey team with the most Ice Hockey Gold Medals and World Hockey World Championships at the Winter Olympics.
In June last year, in the final of the 2021 Ice Hockey World Championships in Riga, Latvia, Canada defeated the previous champions Finland 3-2 after extra time. This is the second time that Canada has won the World Ice Hockey Championship after two consecutive championships in 2015 and 2016.
Captain Eric Starr said in an interview, "I am honoured to be nominated again for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The Olympics are the pinnacle of sporting competitions and I know our whole team is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Canadian team and compete for the gold medal in Beijing. ”
According to the pre-match schedule, the Canadian ice hockey team will train for 8 days in Davos, Switzerland, from January 25 to February 1, and will train with the Swiss team in Zug, Switzerland, on February 1 and play a pre-match match with the Swiss team before heading to Beijing.
Bruce Moat and his associates
Nationality: United Kingdom Project: Curling
Work together to bring the medal home
Recently, the British delegation was officially established, they sent a total of 50 athletes to participate, of which the curling team as a whole is strong, in the three small events have the strength to win medals. The six curlers representing The United Kingdom are all competing in the Winter Olympics for the first time, with Bruce Moat, Grant Hardy, Bobby Rami and Hammy Macmillan competing in the men's division, with Ross Witt as a substitute. In addition, Moat will partner Jane Doz for the mixed doubles program.
Although the men's curling team competed for the first time in 2017, they have stood on the podium of the World Championships twice in a short period of time: bronze and silver in 2018 and 2021 respectively, and they are looking forward to winning medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics. "I was so happy when I heard the news that we were finally able to go to Beijing [to compete]!" Moat said, "It's so exciting, it's the best testament to the efforts we've put in over the past four years." Our goals at the Winter Olympics are certainly high, and we hope to be able to go home with our medals. ”
"Speaking of mixed doubles, it's even more exciting to be involved in two projects. In the early years, I never thought that I could compete in two competitions at one Winter Olympics. But now the opportunity has come, and I was able to become the first Olympian in Britain to do so, and it is the most precious memory of my life. ”
At the Curling Mixed Doubles World Championships in Scotland at the end of May last year, Scotland's mixed doubles curling partners Bruce Moat and Jane Dodds won the title for the first time and qualified for the mixed doubles event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. They will also represent the British national team in the mixed doubles event of curling at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which is also the first time that the British curling team has competed in the event.
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Courtesy of Visual China IC photo
The Winter Olympics | Reporters Lu Yang and Wang Yinhao
Edited by Kang Dian
Process Editor Wu Yue