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Beijing News (chief reporter Sun Haiguang) On February 3, the Beijing Winter Olympic Torch Relay was held on the Badaling Great Wall, and Ma Long, the captain of the Chinese men's table tennis team, participated as the first torchbearer. As a table tennis player, Malone competed in three Olympic Games in London, Rio and Tokyo, winning a total of 5 gold medals. Participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics as a torchbearer, Ma Long said that he was very honored, which gave him a deeper understanding of Olympic culture and Olympic spirit.
Malone participates in the Torch Relay. Photo: Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee
Participating in the Torch Relay at the Great Wall, "very happy and honored""I'm very happy, I think it's a very honorable thing." Talking about becoming the torchbearer of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Ma Long said that it is a great honor to be a sports person to make a little contribution to the Beijing Winter Olympics.
At the 2021 Shaanxi National Games, Ma Long was one of the six torchbearers at the opening ceremony. In an interview, Ma Long said that during the rehearsal of the torch relay of the Shaanxi National Games, the staff would tell him in advance the correct posture of the torch relay and remind him of some precautions when handing over the baton. This made him more mentally prepared for this relay. "I think every major games, whether it's the National Games or the Winter Olympics, is very special, and I cherish such opportunities."
As a Beijing athlete, Ma Long said that passing the flame on the Great Wall has a special significance. "The Great Wall is one of the most emblematic buildings in China, and everyone can't say that the Great Wall is not a good man." Ma Long said frankly that he is very happy and honored to participate in the torch relay on the Great Wall as a torchbearer, and hopes that foreign audience friends can learn more about Chinese culture while paying attention to the Beijing Winter Olympics.
As an athlete, Malone has competed in three Olympic Games in London, Rio and Tokyo, but this is the first time he has become an Olympic torchbearer. Participating in the Olympic Games in a different capacity, Malone also has a deeper and fuller understanding of the Olympic spirit. "This Beijing Winter Olympics torch relay, in fact, people from all walks of life have participated. This also allows more people to experience the Olympic culture and the Olympic spirit of higher, faster, stronger and more united. ”
As a veteran athlete, Malone believes that the Olympic spirit is to surpass himself, and this spirit is not only reflected in the field, but also brings a lot of help to everyone in life.
Malone in a table tennis match. Photo: Xinhua News Agency
Experienced skiing twice, "now also one in three hundred million"
Born in 1988 in Anshan, Liaoning Province, Ma Long grew up in the northeast as a child, but there were not many opportunities to participate in ice and snow sports. "If snowball fights count, then I'm also involved in ice sports." Malone laughed and said that when he was a child, he had snowball fights and snowmobiles, but he had never participated in professional ice and snow sports such as skating and skiing.
Malone had recently gone to ski once, "That was my first time, no, it should be said that it was the second time I tried skiing." Played it once more than a decade ago, and it felt a little dangerous at the time. After the success of Beijing's bid to host the Winter Olympics, more and more friends around him participated in ice and snow sports, which also prompted Ma Long to make up his mind to experience skiing again.
"I used to feel unsafe mainly psychological, but after trying it, I thought skiing was very fun." Ma Long said that the Beijing Winter Olympics have brought 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports, and he is also one in those 300 million.
As the Beijing Winter Olympics approach, 300 million people participating in ice and snow sports have moved from vision to reality, and more and more teenagers have begun to participate in ice and snow sports. Ma Long has deeply felt over the years that sports have become very common in China, and everyone has taken sports as a part of life.
"Not only adults or professional athletes, but also young people are paying more and more attention to sports." Malone said that in addition to education, sports is also a very good way to educate people, not only to enhance physical fitness, but also to improve the ability to resist pressure, teamwork ability and the ability to solve problems when encountering difficulties, "Now many school physical education classes are very diversified, which has played a good role in the healthy growth of young people." ”
From the 2008 Olympic Games to the 2022 Winter Olympics, Ma Long deeply realized that everyone pays more and more attention to sports. "The successful hosting of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is a very important node, which makes more people like sports and understand sports." Ma Long believes that the hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympics will make more people like ice and snow sports. "Actually, there are a lot of people around me who have started to participate in ice and snow sports, and they can like ice and snow sports, like sports, and I am very happy."
In December last year, Malone traveled to Macau to participate in exchange activities. Photo: Xinhua News Agency
Bless the Athletes of the Winter Olympics, "Put down the baggage and enjoy the game"Although there are not many opportunities to participate in ice and snow sports, Ma Long is very familiar with ice and snow projects, "I know a little more about China's ice and snow traditional projects, short track speed skating, speed skating, figure skating, or freestyle skiing aerial skills, these projects usually pay more attention." ”
In the past few years of preparation for the Beijing Winter Olympics, ice and snow sports have been greatly popularized and carried out in China, and Ma Long is also one of the beneficiaries, "The publicity and promotion of the Beijing Winter Olympics has made me know more ice and snow projects and more ice and snow athletes, and I am full of expectations for them." I love these projects and watch them when I have time. ”
From 2008 to 2022, from the Summer Olympics to the Winter Olympics, Beijing has also become the only city in the world with two Olympic Games. As an Olympic player, Malone has a deep feeling about this. "The 2008 Beijing Olympics should be said to be the first Olympic Games I really participated in." At that time, Ma Long, who was less than 20 years old, participated as a sparring partner, and the three men's team members who participated in the Olympic Games at that time were Ma Lin, Wang Hao and Wang Liqin. Subsequently, in the London, Rio and Tokyo Olympic cycles, Ma Long gradually took up the burden of Chinese men's table tennis and became the first athlete in the history of the national table tennis team to win 5 Olympic gold medals.
In the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, 74% of the athletes in the Chinese sports delegation are participating in the Olympic Games for the first time. As a veteran Olympic player who has participated in 3 Olympic events and won 5 Olympic gold medals, Ma Long also sent a blessing to the Winter Olympic athletes, "I wish the Winter Olympic athletes to achieve the desired results in the Winter Olympic Games held at their doorstep." Of course, I also want them to let go of their baggage and enjoy the game. ”
Sun Haiguang, chief reporter of the Beijing News
Edited by Liu Jia Proofreader Wang Xin