Zhao Weidong, spokesman for the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, said at a daily press conference on February 6 that ice and snow sports have deep roots and a long history in China. "Cold ice and snow" is becoming a "hot sport" in China.
Zhao Weidong said that from some historical materials, it can be seen that as early as the Song Dynasty in China more than 800 years ago, there was a popular ice playing movement, which is also reflected in the "Song Ci". In modern times, sports such as ice hockey, curling and figure skating have been introduced to China and are also widely popular. Since the middle of the last century, ice and snow sports have been popular in northern China, and people have been skating and skiing everywhere. Since China's successful bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the popularity of ice and snow sports has accelerated. China is vigorously promoting ice and snow sports, and there is a word called "North Ice South Exhibition East Expansion WestWard Expansion", which means that the ice and snow sports in the north are vigorously promoted in the south, east and west of China. Nowadays, the enthusiasm of the Chinese people to participate in ice and snow sports is increasing, and now winter ice and snow sports have far exceeded the limitations of the north, and there are skating rinks in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
At Beijing's Pinggu Yuyang Ski Resort, ski enthusiasts are practicing snowboarding.
Zhao Weidong showed a set of data. There are now 654 standard ice rinks and 803 ski resorts in China from north to south. That's a 317 percent and 41 percent increase from the 2015 bid to host the Winter Olympics, which says something. In addition, statistics show that China has achieved "driving 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports", and the number of participants in ice and snow sports in the country has reached 346 million. It can be said that "cold ice and snow" is becoming a "hot sport". President Bach also spoke highly of it, saying that China's extraordinary achievements in winter sports have ushered in a new era of global winter sports.
In response to the reporter's concern, Zhao Weidong said that in the past two days, some friends have also asked where to buy the ice pier? He believes that this problem reflects the high heat of the Beijing Winter Olympics from the side, and also reflects the effectiveness of "driving 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports". "We attach great importance to this issue. Due to the Spring Festival holiday, some factory workers go home for vacation, so in the face of the instantaneous outbreak of heat, there is a temporary shortage of goods, and we are coordinating relevant aspects to increase the supply of ice piers. In addition, I would also like to remind media reporters and friends that when reporting, in addition to paying attention to the ice piers, we must also pay attention to the melting of snow. Zhao Weidong said.
Zhao Weidong also said that on the night of the opening ceremony, there was an athlete named Zhao Weichang among the torchbearers, who was the athlete who participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time in China and the standard-bearer of the Chinese team at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics in the United States. From Zhao Weichang to Li Yan, Yang Yang, Zhou Yang, to two post-00s athletes, represented China in the Winter Olympics. From 1980 to 2022, after 42 years, the Chinese team went from 28 athletes at the beginning to 176 athletes in this session. This shows that China has passed on the torch in the cause of winter sports, and there are successors, and it also shows that China is a staunch pursuer and activist of the Olympic ideal.
Courtesy of Visual China
For more information, please pay attention to the Winter Olympics.
Source Client The Winter Olympics | Reporter Wu Dong
Edited by Kang Dian
Process Editor Wu Yue