Chongli, Hebei, February 10 (Xinhua) -- Dragging his frozen body, Zhao Jiawen struggled to wave a snowball and slid across the finish line... Behind him, the snow rut formed by the friction between the snowboard and the track became clearer and more dazzling under the illumination of the night lights.
On February 9, the Beijing Winter Olympics Nordic biathlon individual ski jumping standard platform/cross-country skiing 10 km competition was held in Zhangjiakou, and China's Zhao Jiawen competed in cross-country skiing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua
Ranked 43rd overall! Although in the fierce Nordic biathlon competition, this result is slightly mediocre, but for the 21-year-old Zhao Jiawen, the moment he crossed the finish line, he has surpassed himself, and he has taken a new step in the future Winter Olympic journey for China's ice and snow!
Since the first Winter Olympics in 1924, nordic biathlon has been recognized as one of the most difficult winter events. Guts, technology, physical fitness, endurance and other elements are indispensable, and for China's nordic two sports that started late and have a weak foundation, it is a historic leap and spur to enter the Winter Olympics.
In order to prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics, China established the Nordic biathlon national team at the end of 2016 and began to seek breakthroughs in continuous exploration and polishing. This process is very difficult, from 20 team members in the early days of the team, to only 5 left in the end, the difficulty and hardship of the project can be imagined.
Without experience, they traveled far and wide to advanced countries to learn from them; without professional equipment, they replaced them with snowshoes and snowboards for alpine skiing... For the team members who only had a cross-country skiing foundation in the early days of the team, how to overcome the fear of jumping from a high place is even more difficult.
On February 9, the Beijing Winter Olympics Nordic biathlon individual ski jumping standard platform/ cross-country skiing 10 km competition was held in Zhangjiakou Area, and China's Zhao Jiawen was in the ski jumping competition. Photo by Jiang Hongjing, Xinhua News Agency
Taking the Beijing Winter Olympics National Ski Jumping Center as an example, the gap between the big jump platform and the standard platform is about 136 meters and 115 meters respectively, for ordinary people who have not participated in the corresponding training, just walking on the stage will have weak legs.
"I wanted to jump, but when I got to the starting point, my body just couldn't move." Zhao Jiawen recalled the scene of the early practice project. But since you have chosen, you must persist to the end, and the secret is to "die with yourself".
In the eyes of The Chinese team leader Ge Da, Zhao Jiawen is a disciple who is very strict with himself. After each team training, he would return to the training room again to practice alone, and after returning to the dormitory, he would also study in depth through video.
Overcome fears, hone your skills, work overtime... Under the careful guidance of the coaching team and the self-improvement day after day, the young Zhao Jiawen became the leader of China's Nordic biathlon. After winning the Second Youth Championship and the National Championship in succession, this time, he stood on the stage of the Winter Olympics as he wished, and completed the "Winter Olympic Debut" of China's Nordic biathlon.
On February 9, the Beijing Winter Olympics Nordic biathlon individual ski jumping standard platform/cross-country skiing 10 km competition was held in Zhangjiakou, and China's Zhao Jiawen competed in cross-country skiing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Kehong
"It's exciting and fulfilling to play on your doorstep!" Zhao Jiawen said that he believes that "kung fu pays off" and that if he can fight the Winter Olympics again in four years, he will certainly be able to achieve a greater breakthrough.
At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics six days ago, Zhao Jiawen, who was also a "00" post-", and The Chinese women's cross-country skier Diniger Yilamujiang jointly embedded the last torch in the main torch platform, achieving the classic moment of the Winter Olympics. Under the torch of several generations of ice and snow people, China's ice and snow will also create brilliant and write a new chapter in the future.
Source: Xinhua News Agency