Persistently loving and never giving up, Li Jianrou wrote her own miracle with a bumpy but step-by-step athlete career.
This article was first published in Southern People Weekly
Text / Southern People Weekly intern reporter Chen Bixin
On February 13, 2014, Li Jianrou, as the only Chinese athlete to qualify for the final, stepped onto the short track speed skating 500m event at the Sochi Winter Olympics. The starting gun sounded, and the four runners rushed out of the starting line in response, and Li Jianrou, who was located in the outermost road, fell to the end. However, an unexpected situation occurred. Just after reaching the first bend, Britain's Christine and Italy's Fang Tana had a scratch, and Park Seung-ji, who slipped in front of the two, was also affected, and the three fell off the track one after another.
Under the sudden situation, Li Jianrou's rhythm was not disrupted, she continued to slide forward, and finally crossed the finish line steadily, winning the championship with a time of 45.263 seconds. At this point, the 27-year-old veteran who has repeatedly won the championship in international competitions such as the World Championships and the World Cup has finally pocketed this Olympic gold medal full of surprises and surprises.
▲ 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics short track speed skating women's 500m final, Li Jianrou won the championship Photo / Visual China
"Miracle" is the most used word in the media evaluation of this game. On the eve of Sochi, Wang Meng, who was the hegemon in the 500-meter event, was injured in a training accident, and Li Jianrou was ordered to compete in place of Wang Meng. In an interview with CCTV, Li Jianrou admitted that 500 meters has never been her strong point, and when she first took on such a task, she was nervous for several days and could not sleep. But after coming to Sochi, she felt calm when she was experienced in international competitions, "Just fight!" Li Jianrou smiled. It is this strong psychological quality before the competition that makes Li Jianrou have an additional title of "sister to the force" among the fans, and short track fans especially appreciate the veteran's calm temperament that is not chaotic, calling her "too powerful".
After the game, in the mixed mining area, major media reporters rushed up, according to Xinhua Net, a reporter asked Li Jianrou how to view the "miracle" in this game, "there is no miracle without effort", Li Jianrou replied, "I have been insisting on what I should do, and I firmly believe that miracles will happen to people who are prepared." ”
For this moment, Li Jianrou did prepare for a long enough time. Participating in the Sochi Winter Olympics is the 18th year that Li Jianrou has been exposed to short track speed skating, unlike young and famous players such as Zhou Yang and Wang Meng, the first half of her sports career has not been smooth.
▲ 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics short track speed skating women's 500m final, Li Jianrou in the competition Photo / Visual China
In 2008, with his outstanding performance in the national short track speed skating championships, the 22-year-old Li Jianrou was selected for the short track speed skating national team. However, at that time, the short track team was at the peak of talent, and Li Jianrou, who was not outstanding in a single level of strength and usual training, was considered to be unstable enough and was quickly returned to the Jilin provincial team. In an interview with China News Agency, Li Jianrou's father, Li Jinhai, recalled that his daughter's mood was very bad during that time, and he also had a deep conversation with his daughter once to help her resolve her emotions. It is gratifying that after a short period of lowfall, Li Jianrou quickly adjusted his state and still devoted himself to the training of the local team. "She's a person who knows what to do and a person who knows what to do." Li Jinhai said. In his eyes, although the daughter has an introverted personality, she is very strong in her heart, just like her name, "soft" with "firm".
Two years later, in March 2010, Li Jianrou's efforts paid off, and as a member of the Jilin Provincial Team, she once again shined in the national competition, winning the women's 500 meters, 1000 meters, 3000 meters relay and all-around events. Her superior strength made her once again favored by the national team, and Li Yan, the head coach of the national team at the time, re-recruited Li Jianrou to his command.
After years of precipitation, Li Jianrou's strength finally ushered in the moment of outbreak. From 2011 to 2013, Li Jianrou has won many international competitions such as the World Cup and the World Championships, and has shown outstanding advantages in the middle and long distance events. In 2012, at the Short Track Speed Skating World Championships in Shanghai, Li Jianrou made a major breakthrough in his personal sports career. She first won the women's 1500 meters with a time of 2 minutes 23.217 seconds, then won the runner-up in the 1000 meters, and in the final 3000 meters relay, as a veteran of the project, Li Jianrou partnered with Liu Qiuhong, Fan Kexin and Kong Xue to successfully win the gold medal and defend the title. With the outstanding performance of these three events, Li Jianrou became the third athlete in China to win the women's all-around championship at the Short Track Speed Skating World Championships after Yang Yang and Wang Mao with 60 points in the competition.
"My characteristic is not to start, but to catch up." After Sochi seized the gold, Li Jianrou described his characteristics in an interview with Chengdu Business Daily. This sentence is also a true portrayal of Li Jianrou's sports career. "I have had a lot of twists and turns, but I am a simple person, and I don't accept softness, and I don't take these twists and turns to heart." For Li Jianrou, who is a late bloomer, this hard-won Olympic gold medal has made her more successful in the world championships, and it is also the "biggest reward" for her nearly 20 years of hard work in the short track speed skating field.
▲ On January 15, 2017, Jilin City held the "2017 World Snow Day and International Children's Ski Festival", and Li Jianrou was interviewed at the event site Photo / Visual China
In 2015, due to age and physical reasons, Li Jianrou chose to retire. Although she left the arena, the girl who has been immersed in ice and snow sports since she was a child has not been far from the ice rink she loves. After the Sochi Winter Olympics, Li Jianrou passed the exam and began to pursue a doctorate in sports training management, and officially served as an associate professor at Northeast Normal University in 2015. After retiring, she became the head coach of the Hebei short track speed skating team and was active in the field in another capacity. In addition to training, she also opened the "Firm Ice and Snow Club" in her hometown of Jilin to attract more people to participate in ice and snow sports.
On December 25, 2021, the Beijing Winter Olympic Torch Display and the 27th China Jilin International Rime Ice and Snow Festival were held, and Li Jianrou was invited to the scene as a guest, holding the Winter Olympic torch to show the audience to send blessings to the new generation of athletes who will participate in the Winter Olympic Games. Today's Li Jianrou has shoulder-length hair, and compared with the resolute and calm "sister who gave strength" on the field many years ago, the "soft" part seems to be more, but in front of the camera, when it comes to short track speed skating, her expression is still difficult to hide her enthusiasm.
"As long as you try to do your best, you have no regrets." This is Li Jianrou's evaluation of herself in an interview with CCTV after winning the championship in Sochi. Persistently loving and never giving up, Li Jianrou wrote her own miracle with a bumpy but step-by-step athlete career.