Unlike the previous trips to China, visiting relatives or competing in the league, Zhou Jiaying felt like going home this time. On February 4, the Princeton graduate, former Wall Street female white-collar worker and the best goalkeeper of the Russian Women's Hockey League, wearing a Chinese team uniform, stood on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics to help the team beat Denmark 3-1. In this way, Zhou Jiaying established the strongest connection with his Chinese ancestry.
Accidental injury before the Olympics
On November 15, 2021, while training at the gym, Zhou Jiaying accidentally slipped and was examined for a fracture of his left ankle, leaving only 80 days left before the first match of the Beijing Winter Olympics. For the sudden injury, Zhou Jiaying was very optimistic, the team also did not give up, and soon made careful arrangements, and then Zhou Jiaying immediately flew from Moscow to Minneapolis for surgery.
Zhou Jiaying said: "I am fortunate to have such an excellent team to help me make a quick recovery and get back on the ice. Seven weeks after the surgery, I was able to train again on the ice rink, so I flew back to Russia and started training again. At first, the injured area was very painful, but after a few weeks, I wouldn't notice my ankle anymore and I feel very good now. ”
Perhaps optimism is also an important reason for Zhou Jiaying's timely recovery, she said, "When I was injured, I was confident that I could come back in time." I was shocked when I learned of the fracture, but at the same time, I knew in my heart that I had to recover and get back on the ice quickly. From that point on, I focused on doing surgery quickly and doing my best to make a recovery. It's all positive and fast recovery ideas. Either way, I'm going to rush back to the Olympics. ”
Learning Chinese strengthens the connection with China
Zhou Jiaying's mother is a Chinese, and after living in North America, she integrated into the local culture, and Zhou Jiaying was born in Canada. She admitted that before joining the Shenzhen Kunlun Hongxing Hockey Club, she felt very far away from her Chinese ancestry. "We grew up saying Chinese not much, and our Chinese relatives live on the other side of the globe. We've been to China a few times, but I'm like an outsider. They were very hospitable, but I couldn't communicate and that really affected me. That also gave me the motivation to study Chinese in college. ”
Beginning in her sophomore year, Zhou Jiaying studied Chinese at Princeton University for 3 years, even though that wasn't what she needed for her major. Even in her senior year, when the burden on the course is usually lighter, she still takes Mandarin classes, taking classes every Monday to Friday, and attending an hour of classes and an hour of quiz on Fridays. "I'm motivated to do that because I want to communicate with my grandfather, who can only speak Mandarin. This is also the way I connect with my Own Chinese ancestry. Looking back now, I am very happy that I learned Mandarin myself. By studying Chinese and living in China, I am now more connected to China and Chinese culture. ”
Before the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, Zhou Jiaying lived and played in Shenzhen in 2018-2020: "I miss the fans in Shenzhen very much. It's been two years since I last lived in Shenzhen, but I still remember those scenes as if they happened yesterday. I hope to go back and have a look when the time is right. Living in China really made me feel the depth of Chinese culture. Chinese culture is very vast, and different regions have different traditions, dialects and ways of doing things. ”
From watching my brother train to scoring goals
When Zhou Jiaying was young, she waited on the ice rink for her brother to finish her hockey training, and there happened to be a goalkeeper training camp there, "I just stood there looking at the goalkeeper and thought: It's so cool. She began begging her mother to take her to the store to buy goalkeeper protective gear. Mom later told her what was going on: "Mom, can your credit card afford to buy me a set of goalkeeper protective gear?" Mom replied, "No." ”
Eventually, of course, the parents gave in, and they bought the goalkeeper's protective gear. Zhou Jiaying recalled: "I was so happy that I finally became a goalkeeper. When the protective gear arrived, we went to the ice rink, but we realized that the other party had sent two left-legged protective gear, and we had to send it back. When I finally settled everything in place, I became the happiest child in the world. ”
In 2012, Zhou Jiaying entered Princeton University, where he represented the varsity team in 111 games with an average save rate of 0.92 per game. He has been named "Goalkeeper of the Week" and "Goalkeeper of the Month" by the league many times. He won the U18 World Championship for the Canadian national team. However, after graduation, Zhou Jiaying did not continue her hockey career and chose to work on Wall Street and became a working woman.
Coming to China this time is like coming home
In 2018, due to the goal of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Zhou Jiaying joined the Shenzhen Kunlun Hongxing Ice Hockey Club, playing in CWHL and WHL for 4 seasons, winning the Russian Women's Ice Hockey League Championship and the title of Best Goalkeeper. Zhou Jiaying said: "In the past four years, the Olympic Games have been like a dream: everyone will talk about it, but it exists in the distant future, and it is difficult to imagine that it will really happen. Now that the Olympics are really here, I will feel excited and nervous. It is a great honor to represent China at the Olympic Games, and I would like to thank the leaders and coaching team for giving me this amazing opportunity. I am very proud to represent the Chinese team in the Olympic Games. ”
In January 2022, Zhou Jiaying took a flight to Beijing, and compared with many previous visits to China, Zhou Jiaying felt different: "In the past, I came to China like an adventure to explore Chinese culture and ancestry. It's fun and there are a lot of new things to experience. Arriving in China this time, it is like going home. It's been two years since I was last in China, and I realize how much I miss living here. ”
Two weeks before the opening of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Zhou Jiaying said: "At present, I will try to imagine that I can represent China, my heart is full of glory, and I thank my parents and all the support they have given me." I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped me in the recovery process over the past two months, so that I can recover from injuries and prepare for the Winter Olympics. It's been a tough journey and it's an unreal feeling to finally be able to get here. ”
Although China's group stage opponents are ranked higher than China in the world, Zhou Jiaying said: "I have great confidence in our team. We trained very hard for this and we were all prepared. I can't wait to show the world how powerful Chinese women's hockey is. ”
Words to the Chinese fans
Zhou Jiaying: Ice hockey is a unique sport. If you like watching football and basketball, you'll definitely love ice hockey too. Hockey has many rounds like basketball, with goals and goalkeepers like football. The biggest difference is that ice hockey is played on the ice, and the players will hold the club to control the ball, in order to score the opponent's goal. This is the fastest team sport and requires strong skills, so I invite you to watch our game.