After wiping the skates with a towel, protecting the ice knives with a cotton knife cover, putting them in a dry place, and carefully and meticulously maintaining the skates, Fan Kang finished the day's work and prepared to rest.
At the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, he will volunteer as an ice refill for the figure skating project of the Capital Gymnasium. "Serving the Winter Olympics and contributing to my own modest efforts is one of the clearest goals of my university!" Fan Kang from Beijing Sport University told us.
The picture shows Fan Kang
Fan Kang is a senior student at the School of Arts of Beijing Sport University, and was one of the first ice dance students in the cross-border cross-border material selection project of Beijing Sports University, and before that, he was a Latin dancer. In the next time, he will work with 8 other small partners who are also from Beijing Sports University to undertake the ice repair work of the figure skating project.
As the only position among all volunteers who can get on the ice, the particularity and importance of the ice keeper are self-evident. Figure skating is an artistic and technical sport, where athletes leave small pits on the ice after completing the action of point ice jump, blade jump, rotation and so on. Fan Kang said: "Our role is like an 'ice beautician', filling and repairing these small pits in a short period of time, so that the next group of athletes can have a better performance." ”
The ice feeder waits before going on the ice
This extremely "special" position, in a few minutes between the game rounds, the 1800 square meters of ice pits are all disposed of, which requires the ice repairer to have a high professional quality of figure skating and ice repair technology.
In the process of ice replenishment, finding and filling pits is the main work. After each game, 80 to 100 small pits will be generated on the field. It is not easy to find all the ice pits accurately at the moment of ice. The white field illuminated by the on-site lights is likely to make the ice pit "invisible", so it is even more difficult to find the ice pit.
The pit repair is another challenge in the work, after finding the ice pit, first use the snow to level the pit, after watering, and then use a small shovel to scrape the excess snow away, the seemingly simple action is a test of the physical and psychological quality of the ice repairer. "Wearing skates, squatting frequently on the ice, and making up the ice in one go are the biggest challenges in the work," Fan Kang said.
Ice keeper at work
The task is arduous and there is no room for error. The training often ends in the early morning, and the next day it is full of vitality and continues to work. But Fan Kang still enjoyed it.
"The winter Olympic bid was successful, and when I applied for the exam, I resolutely chose the ice dance major of the Art College of Beijing Sport University. But before the art exam, although he had 6 years of Latin dance practice experience, he had never been on the ice. Fan Kang recalled to us.
Talking about the experience of this road, Fan Kang also has a lot of feelings. "It took me three and a half years from the start of learning ice dance to the 2022 Winter Olympics, and I realized my original dream! The beginning of the practice was timid, and when I first went on the ice, my legs were clamped in an X shape, and I walked like a chick. In the practice of repeatedly falling down and getting up, I also mastered the basics of figure skating. In the previous figure skating test matches, he also accumulated a wealth of ice repair experience and made full preparations for the Winter Olympics. ”
When asked if he wanted to stand on the field as an athlete, he said he had shortcomings because his current ability was not yet up to par. "But to be able to compete in another form, I also achieved my dream!"
The Capital Gymnasium was the main venue for the volleyball event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games 14 years ago. At this Winter Olympics, the Capital Gymnasium will be "one hall and two uses" and will host two sports of figure skating and short track speed skating. The old museum has a new look and inherits a unique Olympic memory.
Fan Kang also has a hobby in life - photography. In ordinary times, Fan Kang's photography skills are often praised by his classmates. He also brought his own camera in his luggage on this winter Olympic tour, ready to record the wonderful moments of participating in the Winter Olympics.
Photo credit: Fan Kang
"Do your best for the Winter Olympics and serve the ice and snow event of the people of this world," Fan Kang looked forward to. "Step by step, cherish this job." The People of Beiti are never afraid! "In the next pre-match preparation day, Fan Kang will continue to practice and train in ice re-ice.
Like him, more than 460 volunteers from Beijing Sport University will be active in 14 venues in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. In media operations, external liaison, sports professional positions, etc., they will become "burning snowflakes" and show the world china's excellence.
Text: Jin Kemeng (Intern)
Editor: Jin Kemeng (Intern)
Proofreader: Wang Chao