"I would like to pay tribute to all the Chinese" – the Polish coach's Beijing Winter Olympics experience

WARSAW, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- "Unbeatable, incredible, and impeccable..." This is the word Marek Skovronski, the coach of the Polish bobsleigh team who has personally experienced five Winter Olympics and led the national team to countless competitions in 20 years, has used the most when he records his three-day Winter Olympics.

"The venue is incredible, the space is spacious, the design is perfect, and the athletes and coaches feel the same way." In an interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters a few days ago, Skovronsky described the National Bobsleigh Center in Yanqing.

The National Bobsleigh Center Circuit is the 17th in the world, the third in Asia and the first bobsleigh track in China. A wooden structure shading roof was set up above the entire "Snow Dragon" to solve the problem of inconvenient training competitions in rain and snow weather.

"You don't need to bring an umbrella for training here, because even if it rains or snows, you don't have to worry under the roof." The experienced Skovronsky said, "Rain and snow affect the athlete's line of sight, and in China, this problem does not exist." ”

In order to provide adequate protection for athletes, coaches and accompanying officers from all over the world, the facilities in the Winter Olympic Village are meticulous. The warm corridor connecting all groups, the cable car shuttle bus adjacent to the village entrance, the alpine ski center and the village's pistes, a wide range of specialties, and supporting facilities such as a post office, bank, and hairdresser are readily available.

"I have participated in the 5th Winter Olympics, and the accommodation conditions in Beijing are the best, there is nothing to be picky about." As one of the first members of the Polish delegation to travel to China, the Polish bobsleigh team stayed in the Yanqing Winter Olympic Village a week before the opening of the Winter Olympics. "When we arrived, the Winter Olympic Village was ready." Skovronsky said.

"The room was very comfortable, the transportation was convenient, the diet was unbeatable, I had delicious fried eggs for breakfast today and I am going to order fried eggs tomorrow." Skovronsky, who praises the winter Olympic village's food, said he had bought postcards and prepared to send them to his family as a souvenir of the Beijing Winter Olympics and Yanqing Winter Olympic Village.

Hosting the Winter Olympics under the epidemic situation is a huge challenge. In addition to the comprehensive clinic equipped with 18 departments in the Winter Olympic Village, the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee also has a complete set of epidemic prevention and control measures. "Every morning, we do nucleic acid testing at a medical point near the restaurant. Nicely, the detection doesn't have to wait in line. Skovronsky said that so far, the bobsleigh team that strictly abides by the epidemic prevention regulations is normal.

Although it is a pity that they did not have the opportunity to appreciate China's beautiful scenery and rich culture, especially in Yanqing, but it is a pity that they cannot see the majestic Great Wall, Skovronsky knows that the most important thing for them is to ensure that the athletes have the opportunity to participate in the Winter Olympics once every four years. "All athletes wear masks and maintain social distancing, in fact we are used to playing in the midst of the pandemic, and the regulations don't bother us too much." He said.

In the few days of his trip to Beijing, Skovronsky rested in general, with reasons for long trips and jet lag, but more because of the excitement and joy brought to him by what he had seen and heard over the past few days. It is not easy to host the Winter Olympics, and it is even more difficult to successfully host the Winter Olympics during the epidemic. Skovronsky knew that the perfect preparations he saw and felt were inseparable from the efforts of Chinese people.

"I would like to pay tribute to all the Chinese, especially the Olympic volunteers." Skovronsky said, "Thank you for their help, for their kindness, and for the smiles on their faces." (Reporters Zhang Zhang and Chen Chen) (End)

(Xinhua News Agency)