On February 11, the women's steel frame bobsleigh project of the Beijing Winter Olympics was two wheels before the end of the National Bobsleigh Center. Zhao Dan, one of the flag bearers of the Chinese delegation, and his teammate Li Yuxi joined hands to temporarily rank fourth and tenth. In the final two rounds of the night of the 12th, the two will attack the medals.
A total of 25 skaters from the women's steel frame snowmobile participated, and teams from Australia, Germany and the Netherlands all had strong strength. In the six rounds of test skating before the match, Zhao Dan ranked first twice.
"Participating in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics as a flag bearer is a moment I will never forget in my lifetime. In my first Olympic appearance, I will do my best to live up to the expectations of me and the steel-framed snow team. For Zhao Dan, who turned from a triple jumper to a steel frame snowmobile rider four years ago, he is not only looking forward to his Olympic debut, but also hoping to achieve a breakthrough for the Chinese team.
In the first round of the competition, Zhao Dan came in third place. Wearing a full-cover helmet, leaning over the right hand snowmobile handlebar to sprint with full force, accompanied by the impact of the nail boots and the ice surface to make a "rustling" sound, she quickly jumped up and got on the car, her arms were close to the handle, as far as possible to maintain body balance, the steel frame snowmobile high-speed through the U-shaped curve and the S-shaped curve, after 1 minute, 2 seconds and 26 seconds, Zhao Dan "drove" the steel frame snowmobile across the finish line. Li Yuxi, who then appeared, had a time of 1:2.64. At the end of the first round, Zhao Dan was temporarily ranked third, and Li Yuxi was ranked 14th.
In the second round, Zhao Dan's time was 1:2.40 and Li Yuxi's time was 1:2.62. After two rounds, they both advanced to the third and fourth rounds of tomorrow night.
The rankings of the steel frame snowmobile events at the Winter Olympics are sorted by the total time spent on four-wheeled skiing, and the one with the fewest time wins the gold medal.
Take you to know the steel frame snowmobile
"Horror" on ice F1
To say which event on the Beijing Winter Olympics is the fastest and most passionate, the steel frame snowmobile known as "ground-to-ground flight" and "ice F1" is definitely among the best.
Steel-framed snowmobiles are also known as swooping ice sleds. At the start stage, after sprinting for 15 to 20 steps, the athlete quickly jumps on the snowmobile in a prone position with his head in front of him, speeding on the curved track, with his chin only about 10 cm from the ice surface. Athletes control direction and slow down through small movements of the body. How "limiting" is it? Let's take a look at two pieces of data.
First, the steel frame snowmobile can reach 150 kilometers per hour at the fastest, and in the Winter Olympics, I am afraid that only snowmobiles can do it. However, when the snowmobile athlete competes, the body is curled up in the body, while the athlete of the steel frame snowmobile is head forward, lying prone on the steel frame snowmobile, and the head, shoulders, calves and feet are suspended outside the car during the race, which is typical of "meat-wrapped iron".
Second, in addition to speed, athletes gliding on steel-frame snowmobiles can experience gravity up to 5 times their body weight, and the prohibitive roller coaster is only 2 kilograms of gravity.
Kimberly Bosch, a 28-year-old dutch player, shouted after experiencing a steel-framed snowmobile: "It's horrible, I never want to touch this sport again." But not long after, she still couldn't resist the charm of speed and completely fell.
Because of the danger of "three in and two out" winter Olympics
The long sleds used by North American Indians to carry goods in winter are the prototype of steel-framed snowmobiles. In 1892, the Englishman Child used a sled made mainly of metal materials, shaped like a human skeleton, and the body was equipped with handles, which was officially named a steel frame bobsleigh.
After the official establishment of the International Bobsleigh and Bobsleigh Federation in 1923, it was proposed that steel frame bobshoes and bobsocks be included in the competition items of the first Winter Olympic Games. However, compared with snowmobiles with shells and "steering wheels" and "brakes" in the body, only the "base" has no shell, and the direction and deceleration of the steel frame snowmobile can only be controlled by the athlete's body, and it is "rejected" due to danger.
At the second Winter Olympics, steel-framed snowmobiles were officially included in the competition, and then cancelled. At the Fifth Winter Olympics in 1948, the men's steel-framed bobsleigh event was again included in the competition, and then disappeared again at the Winter Olympics, until the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, when the event reappeared and women's events were added at the same time.
Pre-match temperature measurement and post-race weighing
The race equipment of steel frame snowmobilers includes safety helmets, race suits, nail boots and steel frame snowmobiles. Temperature measurement is required before the game and weighing after the game.
The steel frame snowmobile is generally composed of three parts: a plate-like body, two tubular steel blades under the body, and two handles on the body. All snowmobiles are subject to temperature measurement before the race, and athletes will be disqualified if both temperatures are 4 degrees Celsius above the reference snowmobile.
Due to drag, athletes wearing full equipment after the race are weighed on the scale with their own steel frame snowmobiles. Before the scale, no adjustments can be made to the steel frame snowmobile, but debris such as ice slag on it can be removed. The weight weighed by male players at this time must not be higher than 120 kg, and female players cannot be higher than 102 kg. Subsequently, the steel frame snowmobile must be weighed separately, and the male athlete's steel frame snowmobile cannot weigh more than 45 kg, and the female player's cannot weigh more than 38 kg.
Cross-border cross-discipline to help the Chinese team set off
Steel frame snowmobiles have a history of 100 years in Europe and the United States, but they are emerging projects for China. In 2015, the China Steel Frame Snow Racing Team was officially established. Because the project requires strong explosiveness, a group of track and field and gymnasts are selected to "get on the car" through "cross-border cross-discipline". In 2018, Zhang Peimeng, a retired Chinese men's 100-meter flyer, also announced a cross-project steel frame snowmobile project.
In order to quickly improve the competitive ability of athletes, the Chinese team not only hired high-level foreign teachers, but also trained in Canada and other places for a long time, participated in a large number of competitions, adapted to various tracks, and accumulated valuable experience for athletes.
At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Geng Wenqiang, who switched from long jump to steel-framed snowmobiles, played for the Chinese team and finally ranked 13th. This is also the first appearance of the Chinese steel frame snow team at the Winter Olympics.
After 6 years of hard work, it is expected to hit the medal
After entering the Beijing Winter Olympic cycle, Geng Wenqiang gradually showed strong competitiveness in the international arena and won the World Cup for the first time in November last year. The Chinese steel frame snow team has also trained more outstanding athletes and blown up the storm of youth. A number of young athletes have made a name for themselves in the world and won two places for men and women at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The steel frame snowmobile event of the Beijing Winter Olympics is divided into two sub-events of men's and women's steel frame snowmobiles, resulting in a total of 2 gold medals. Yan Wengang, 24, Yin Zheng, 25, Zhao Dan, 19, and Li Yuxi, 23, wore Chinese team jerseys. The goal of the Chinese steel-framed snow team, which debuted at the Winter Olympics for the second time, is to achieve a medal breakthrough.
Tonight, Yan Wengang and Yin Zheng, who are temporarily third and seventh in the first two rounds of the men's steel frame snowmobile, will take the lead in attacking the medal.
Text/Hubei Daily reporter Ma Mingyu
Photo: Xinhua News Agency