Beijing Winter Olympics curling mixed doubles Team China beat Switzerland to open the door the two post-90s partner only 3 months

Beijing News (reporter Xu Bangyin) On the evening of February 2, the Beijing Winter Olympic Curling Mixed Doubles Round Robin Tournament began at the National Aquatics Center "Ice Cube", and the Chinese curling mixed doubles team played against the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics runner-up Swiss team, which was also the debut of the Chinese sports delegation at the Winter Olympics. In the cheers of the home audience, Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan played well, and after 8 rounds of competition, the two sides fought a 6-6 draw, and through the extra round, the Chinese team defeated the opponent 7-6 and won the opening red.

People: Two post-90s partners for 3 months

When it comes to curling mixed doubles, everyone may first think of the Chinese partners Ba Dexin and Wang Rui at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, who won the fourth place in the first curling mixed doubles competition in the history of the Winter Olympics. On the evening of February 2, on behalf of the Chinese sports delegation, the debut of the Beijing Winter Olympics were two post-90s, Ling Zhi, born in 1994, and Fan Suyuan, born in 1996.

Ling Zhi began to practice curling in 2009, initially focusing on team events, in 2019 a team confrontation, combined with Ling Zhi's physical fitness, technical and tactical characteristics, the coach suggested that he focus on mixed doubles events, and Ling Zhi, who listened to the advice, began to work hard for the Winter Olympic qualification. His partner was originally Yang Ying, and the two teamed up to win the 9th place at the 2021 Mixed Doubles Curling World Championships.

Fan Suyuan's curling career is more tortuous, starting in 2009, she originally practiced speed skating, until 2014, she was favored by the coach of the Jilin Curling Team, switched to curling, and focused on mixed doubles from the 2019-2020 season. Fan Suyuan's partner was originally Nan Jiawen, who was runner-up at the 2020 World Curling Tour.

In November last year, the six-week curling Olympic trials were launched, and in the first two weeks of the competition, Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan performed well, formed a new partner, and stood out in the next four weeks of the selection competition to qualify for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Strictly speaking, the two are officially partnered for only 3 months.

The outside world is generally worried that the tacit understanding between the two is not enough, but it is not. On February 2, Fan Suyuan said in an interview, "Although we have not been partners for a long time, we have trained together for more than three years, and in the process of preparing for the Winter Olympics, we have also run together." Ling Zhi added: "The two of us originally belonged to different groups, but the two groups were the same coach, and the playing style, technical and tactical ideas were the same, so they knew each other very well and were familiar with each other." ”

Battle: Encounters in the first round of two consecutive Winter Olympics

Swiss mixed doubles duo Jenny and Martin are past champions, silver medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and one of the Chinese curling team's most familiar opponents. In Pyeongchang 4 years ago, the representative of the Chinese curling mixed doubles team was Bad Xin and Wang Rui, and their first-round opponents were Jenny and Martin.

There was also a small episode in that game, and the game went on to the 8th set, and Bade Xin and Wang Ruiben had the opportunity to lock in the victory and win the opening game. As a result, when judging the scoring pot, it accidentally touched the opponent's pot, and the referee had a penalty dispute, and the Chinese team was finally dragged into extra time and lost. Four years later, the two teams met again in the first round, but the lineup of the Chinese team became Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan.

In an interview before the game, China's foreign coach Tommy specifically mentioned that although they are the same opponent, the controversial penalty decision of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will not affect the game, they (Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan) have been training hard for a long time and have the skills and abilities needed to win the game.

The confidence of the foreign teacher was successfully reflected in the game, the first 3 games, whether it was the backhand or the first hand, the Chinese team's tactics were very clear, Ling Zhi, who executed the middle three shots, and Fan Suyuan, who executed the last shot, had a brilliant performance, each of the 3 sets got 1 point, leading the opponent 3-0, until the 4th set was pulled back by the opponent by 2 points.

In the next 4 rounds of competition, Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan still grasped the initiative on the field. Although the Swiss team took advantage of the mistakes of the Chinese team in the 6th set, scored 3 points in a single set and temporarily reversed the score 5-4, in the seventh set, the Chinese team scored two points and regained the lead, and the two sides played 6-6 in the 8-game battle and entered the overtime. In the end, the Chinese combination won the extra round.

Beijing News reporter Xu Bangyin Editor Han Shuangming

(Beijing News)