(Text/He Juan, Su Jiawei, Cui Yuanlei)
"I took home all the ice piers, it's so cute!" Sarah Escobar, an Ecuadorian alpine skier who has left Beijing to return home from a transit flight in Paris, is still trapped in the state of the ice pier and cannot extricate herself, and in a video interview with reporters in Paris on the 11th, she did not forget to show off the three ice piers she bought in Beijing.
"One Man In a Group"
This lovely 20-year-old girl has just finished her trip to the Beijing Winter Olympics and became the first female Winter Olympic player in the history of the Winter Olympics in the tropical country of Ecuador. At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, she proudly waved the flag of Ecuador and strode high at the "Bird's Nest" at the National Stadium.
"It was one of the most exciting moments of my life. Being the flag bearer of the delegation at the Beijing Winter Olympics is my greatest honor. She is the only athlete in the Ecuadorian delegation, "this honor belongs to all Ecuadorians, to my country, to my family, to my friends and to all those who support me." ”
On the evening of the 4th, Sarah, who ended the opening ceremony, excitedly shared her feelings on social media: "I cried with excitement at the opening ceremony. Waving the flag in front of the athletes I admire and the whole world will make me unforgettable. ”
She also quoted Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics, as saying, "The most important thing in the Olympics is not victory, but participation; the most important thing in life is not success, but hard work." "That's what it really means to be an Olympian." Sarah wrote.
"The Olympics is a unique place where athletes from all over the world come together to form a big family." Although it was her first time in China, Sarah soon found a sense of belonging in Beijing, and athletes from various countries greeted her and wished her good results. "The Olympic spirit unites everyone, no longer concerned about our differences, we are all fighting for the sport we love."
"Feel like home"
February 1 is the first day of the first lunar month and Sarah's 20th birthday. After finishing training, Sarah received a special birthday gift — a Chinese knot with the word "Fu" affixed to it. Sarah fell in love with the gift.
The gift came from volunteers at the National Alpine Ski Center. "When I went into the athletes' break, someone wished us a 'Happy Chinese New Year' and I told them that today was also my birthday. They gave me this gift, saying it represented good luck. ”
On the same day, Sarah also received a birthday cake and flowers prepared for her by the Winter Olympic Village operation team, which surprised her. "Being able to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics is my best birthday gift."
"The volunteers and staff of the Beijing Winter Olympics were friendly and always took the initiative to help the athletes solve their difficulties, making us feel at home and feeling at home." Sarah frequently praised the volunteers in interviews.
"They work hard and deserve more recognition." She made two volunteer friends in the Winter Olympic Village and gave them small gifts with Ecuadorian characteristics when they left.
Sarah said she took thousands of photos in Beijing and wanted to document everything she experienced here. On the 9th, Sarah shared a video of her daily training in the Winter Olympic Village on social media. In the shot, she climbs the cable car to overlook the mountains and the competition grounds, and also shows the athletes' rest room and the ski giant slalom.
"I especially want to visit the Great Wall, and I hope that after the COVID-19 epidemic is over, I can have the opportunity to go." Sarah shared a little regret of her own, "I understand very well the closed-loop management adopted by the Beijing Winter Olympics to ensure the safety of all athletes, volunteers and staff. ”
The future can be expected
Talking about her performance at the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sarah said unabashedly: "I didn't finish the second round of the women's giant slalom, I fell. Wrestling is part of the game. I'm not going to give up, I'm just going to practice harder. ”
Sarah was born in the United States and learned to ski at the age of 3 under the guidance of her parents. Her older brother Ethan is also a good skier, "I wanted to follow in my brother's footsteps and go skiing step by step." ”
Although Sarah, who loved to lie in bed as a child, asked her parents to use cookies as a reward before she was willing to go out to practice, her skiing talent soon showed up, and slowly came to prominence in some competitions.
"Participating in the Winter Olympics has been my dream since I was a child, and I have realized it in Beijing." Sarah said, "I call every athlete who stands on the Olympics 'warriors.'" I stood on the stage of the Winter Olympics and worked hard, and I felt that I had won my own gold medal. ”
Sarah is currently studying at St. Michael's University, majoring in psychology, and was the university's first student-athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. "The school has a special schedule for us. We have training every day, sometimes starting at 6:30 in the morning, then going to school and training again in the afternoon. It's not easy to balance academics and training, but the teachers and family are very supportive and helpful to me. ”
Talking about her future plans, Sarah said she would try to participate in the next Winter Olympics. "I'm only 20 years old now, I'm still very young, and I want to continue to learn from athletes at the highest level."
Source: Reference News Network