Chongli, Hebei, February 12 (Reporters Yang Fan and Sun Zhe) "I have served four Olympic games, and I am still full of enthusiasm for the Olympic cause. I think the Beijing Winter Olympics is my last stop and the one I must arrive at. Sitting on the blue promenade in the center of the venue's media center, Arnold Lin, Canadian photography manager at the National Cross-Country Ski Center, told reporters.
Arnold Lin (center), Photography Manager at the National Cross-Country Ski Center, explains the photography spot to volunteers on January 27. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Mou Yu
Because of his family, he "clocked in" for three Winter Olympics
Arnold, 42, is a Korean-Canadian whose parents moved to Canada from South Korea in his early years. By chance, he and his wife Huang Sumei came together, and now they have both children and daughters. Huang Sumei is a native of Jiangmen, Guangdong, which also exposes Arnold to Chinese culture and can communicate briefly in Chinese from time to time.
So there's a magical Winter Olympic story: Canada is Arnold's hometown, he participated in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics; South Korea is Arnold's parents' hometown, he participated in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Now in his wife's hometown of China, Arnold is participating in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Before his first participation in the Winter Olympics in 2010, Arnold and his family ran a restaurant, and for about 10 years, he devoted his efforts to the restaurant. Later, with the support of his wife, he decided to follow his heart - to become a photographer. It took him 3 years to successfully transform, which gave him the opportunity to contact the Winter Olympics.
Arnold Lim worked at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018
"A lot of people have participated in the Olympic cause, starting from the Olympic Games in their hometown, and I am the same." Arnold explains, "I came to Beijing for the Winter Olympics not only out of love for the Olympics and sports, but also because I love China. ”
In fact, when Beijing successfully bid for the Winter Olympics in 2015, Arnold had the idea of working here. "Beijing, that's my goal, I'm going to Beijing, I hope I can work hard and dedicate myself there." Arnold said, "So when I was really in the Beijing Winter Olympics, I was really happy." ”
When he came to Beijing, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the work of the Winter Olympics
This is Arnold's fourth visit to China, where his wife, Huang Sumei, is in a small village in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province, where he has briefly visited his family. "I didn't have the opportunity to work and live in China for a long time before. This time it felt like everyone was friendly, and as a photographer, the scenery of Chongli was also very attractive to me. He said.
"I'm grateful for this experience. Although China is not my motherland, my children love China very much, and this is also my wife's motherland, so I am full of respect for this place. Arnold said.
At a photographic location at the National Cross-Country Ski Center on Jan. 27, photography manager Arnold Lin (second from left) gives a lecture to Volunteers for the Winter Olympics. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Liu
After Arnold came to the National Cross-Country Ski Center, he devoted all his energy to work. He said: "China attaches great importance to this Winter Olympic Games, mobilized a large number of human, material and financial resources, this is a Winter Olympic Games that belongs to all Chinese people." This Winter Olympics will be very important to Chinese, as well as for me and my family. ”
"There are also two female colleagues in my team, one is Zhang Fan and the other is Tian Jiaoyang. From them, I feel the diligence and hard work of the Chinese staff, and I can also feel the weight in everyone's hearts this Winter Olympics. Arnold said. Therefore, he will work with his colleagues for a long time every day to help everyone as much as possible.
The Winter Olympics will allow Chinese people to get close to and understand winter sports
Speaking about the family, Arnold said: "The two children are patiently waiting for me to come home, as long as I return to Canada, they will be able to get my Beijing Winter Olympic costumes and souvenirs. The eldest daughter stared at my clothes, the younger son looked at my shoes, and they were also full of enthusiasm for the Beijing Winter Olympics. ”
In addition to The Olympic equipment, the ice pier of the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot, which is currently sweeping the world, is also on Arnold's two children's wish list. "Judging from the four Olympic events I have served, the design of the ice piers has been the most successful. Pandas are loved by people all over the world, and the ice piers condense the wisdom and efforts of Chinese. So I bought it too, ready to bring it to the kids. ”
Arnold Lin with family
Arnold believes that the Winter Olympics are a window for a country to show its image to the outside world. "In the media studios of the National Cross-Country Ski Center, signs like 'Together to the Future' can be seen everywhere. This is not only the slogan of the Winter Olympics, but also the creed of all Winter Olympic workers, and China is using this to send this signal to the world. He said.
Talking about the topic of promoting the popularity of ice and snow sports in China by the Winter Olympics, Arnold told reporters that the hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympics is allowing Chinese people to get close to and understand winter sports.
"Maybe the Winter Olympics are not as well-known in China as the Summer Olympics, but I believe it's a great opportunity for people to feel the charm of the Winter Olympics." In the future, more Chinese athletes will participate in the Winter Olympic Games, and china's ice and snow sports population will continue to increase, which is beneficial to the development of the Olympic Games and the world's sports industry. Arnold said.
Editors: Liu Ning, Yu Sihui, Cao Yibo, Li Xinyi (Intern)