Original title: "Laikou Bean Bag" at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games
Chongli, Hebei, February 10 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Winter Olympics snowboarding U-shaped track skills competition is located in the Yunding Ski Park in Zhangjiakou Division, with a length of 220 meters and an inner height of 7.2 meters, where two gold medals for women and men in the Beijing Winter Olympics will be decided. The competition attracted worldwide attention, and the players were gathered.
In the women's qualifiers that ended earlier, a runner carried half a bun and made a slide here.
Janice Spitery from Malta's first skate was basically a normal play, but there was a problem with the landing. While waiting in the waiting area for the score, she still had a big smile on the big screen, then pulled out half a bun, shook the camera, and took a bite, comparing two thumbs.
Janice Spitey inside the pac-bun on camera.
In the mixed interview area, the suspense of "what a bun is this" once surpassed the shortlist that will be produced, and ran through almost the entire process of the second round of competition. This round of Spitery landed successfully, although it failed to advance to the final, but it can be said to be a successful completion.
"Ah, it's a red bean bun, after I came, I ate six a day, two for breakfast, two for noon, and two for dinner, which is my favorite thing to eat in the Winter Olympic Village." Spitery said, "I took the bun this morning, but maybe I was too nervous to swallow, so I put it in my pocket, and after the first round of sliding, I suddenly remembered that the bun was still inside, so I thought it was better to take a bite." ”
The 29-year-old girl is outgoing, with a bluish-green gradient on the left and a purple-pink gradient on the right. Before coming to Beijing to compete, I went on a variety show in the United States, and when it came to the Winter Olympics, the host said: "I didn't know that there were still Winter Olympic teams in Malta... Or is this team just you? That's right.
"Janice Spitery is the only participant in Malta at the Beijing Winter Olympics and the first Winter Olympic snowboarder to represent Malta, and we wish her and the Maltese team all the best!" On Spitery's social media account, she retweeted the post from the Chinese Embassy in Malta.
At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on the 4th, only three people from the delegation sent by Malta attended the scene, and Spitery recorded herself as the flag bearer of the delegation at the "Bird's Nest" at the National Stadium - under the banner of "Together to the Future", she and other members of the Maltese delegation jumped into the venue with a belt, and volunteers trotted all the way behind.
Janice Spitery at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
"When I started snowboarding 11 years ago, I didn't have any Olympic dreams. I think that after practicing, it may be convenient for me to become a sports commentator or do interviews for athletes, etc., if I have also practiced this project and understand athletes, it will be very good for my resume, help me find a job like a journalist. But then I set my sights on the Winter Olympics. She said.
Ideal change means giving more. Spitery's personal page tops a link to raise money for her training, and she's been living in an unheated van for the past two winters and continuing her Olympic dreams. She has competed in Mammoth Mountain, Tongshan and Laax this season, ranking well, and on January 17, the International Snow Federation announced the rankings that determined the eligibility for the Beijing Winter Olympics.
"I started skating at the age of 18, had a crazy dream of participating in the Winter Olympics at the age of 20, participated in the professional competition of the U-shaped venue for the first time at the age of 22, was a step away from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics at the age of 25, and now that I am 29, I have qualified for the Beijing Winter Olympics!" In the photo updated on the 17th, Spitery's expression was full of surprise and incredulity.
The experience of coming to Beijing to compete is also happy, not just eating bean buns.
"My biggest impression of China is that the people here are very friendly, we also have a lot of volunteers in the Winter Olympic Village, we have a lot of interaction, every time you walk into the restaurant, they will wave to greet you, everyone looks very enthusiastic." 」 In the Winter Olympic Village, Spitery bought the plush toys, key chains and badges of the "ice pier", and even learned to use Chinese to say "in the middle".
"I was also very impressed by the epidemic prevention work here, before I came, I thought it would be very complicated, and I had to do various inspections every day, but after I came, I found that the whole system was very smooth and running." She said, "Our daily nucleic acid testing is also very convenient, right next to the restaurant, you go to breakfast, and then use less than 10 seconds to do a nucleic acid on the line, everything here also makes me feel very safe and assured, the whole epidemic prevention is done in place." ”
After boarding the Olympic games, her thinking also changed.
"If you had asked me a month ago, it would have been my last Winter Olympics. But now, I seem to be able to see in my mind what I can do, and I understand my potential, which is the feeling that 'I seem to be able to do a little more'. "I want to be the best version of myself, and I haven't reached my limit yet, so I still have room to keep working hard and keep improving." ”
Janice Spitery before the game.
Spitery said he hoped his participation would inspire the people of Malta, as well as others around the world. "I never tried snowboarding until I was 18, and a lot of people have already made it to the Winter Olympics by the age of 18. I started late, but I knew I really wanted to achieve my goals and give my all for them. When I was training, I sometimes lived in my own van and experienced a lot of difficulties, but I persevered and achieved my goals, so I felt that everyone could achieve their ideals. ”
Let's go back to the Winter Olympic Village and let's have two bean bags! Everyone who strives for their dreams deserves to reward themselves with a bite of sweetness.
Editors: Liu Ning, Wu Bowen, Ji Jiadong