"Dragon and Tiger Crown" shine "Snow Dragon" Yangcheng Evening News reporter exclusive interview with steel frame snowmobile helmet designer Zhang Dongliang, listen to him talk about the story behind the helmet

Yangcheng Evening News special correspondent Hao Haoyu Chai Zhi Fu Yi Wang Li

On the evening of the 11th, the Beijing Winter Olympics men's steel frame snowmobile competition ended at the National Bobsleigh Bobsleigh Center "Snow Dragon". Chinese athletes performed well, yan Wengang won third, and won the first medal of Chinese athletes in the Winter Olympics event. Another Chinese player, Yin Zheng, also performed well, eventually ranking fifth. In the competition, the "Dragon and Tiger Crown" helmet worn by Yin Zheng attracted everyone's attention. This helmet with Chinese characteristics is from the hands of Guangdong designer Zhang Dongliang and his team.

Zhang Dongliang and his design of the Dragon and Tiger Crown

Inspired by the armor of a soldier

On the snow-white track, the red and yellow helmet yin Zheng wore was eye-catching. The high-speed glide of the snowmobile sped by, leaving only a red afterimage. This "Dragon and Tiger Crown" and Yin Zheng galloped together in the "Snow Dragon" arena, and the traditional Chinese elements and the Winter Olympics were perfectly combined. As soon as this helmet appeared in the Winter Olympic Games, it won wide acclaim, but what many people don't know is that this helmet actually took less than three weeks from design to production.

Zhang Dongliang and Yin Zheng met on social networks. At that time, cyclists Gong Jinjie and Zhong Angel were wearing helmets designed by Zhang Dongliang and stood on the highest podium at the Rio Olympic Games, and Zhang Dongliang also began to be well known to the public. In November 2021, Zhang Dongliang and Yin Zheng began to communicate about the helmet shape. "Helmets are very important for steel-framed snowmobile athletes, and many foreign athletes also like to decorate helmets differently, so we reached an agreement to design an exclusive helmet that belongs to Yin Zheng." Zhang Dongliang said.

However, because Yin was running abroad at that time, there was not much time, so the design cycle was very short. "The design actually took less than two weeks, the production time was less than a week, and the whole speed was still very fast," Zhang Dongliang said, "Yin Zheng hopes to add some Elements of Peking Opera, and I also have some ideas of my own."

Speaking of his own design, Zhang Dongliang talked about it: "This helmet is inspired by the shape of the general armor in Peking Opera, and there are dark tiger stripes on the top, which coincides with the year of the tiger this year, hoping that athletes like a tiger will descend the mountain, unstoppable; the ruyi pattern and tiger stripe on the back of the helmet echo, implying 'like a tiger adding wings'; and the dragon pattern in front of the helmet is to hope that athletes will fly on the track like a flexible dragon, which are all good wishes for athletes." ”

Create unique equipment for different athletes

In Zhang Dongliang's view, helmets are very important for athletes in racing sports, it is not only the athletes to protect their own equipment, but also the sustenance of the athletes' sportsmanship. "I'm also an amateur cyclist and I understand the feelings that racers have for helmets, so when I design helmets, I also listen to the athletes' own ideas and make different designs according to their sports careers, and give the helmets a certain amount of mental strength."

Zhang Dongliang gave an example: "Like Gong Ginger who won the runner-up at the 2012 London Olympics, the helmet I designed for her was inspired by Mu Guiying's coach, hoping that she would go out again and achieve good results for the country." And she also realized her dream at the 2016 Rio Olympics. "The same is true of the snowmobile helmet designed for Yin Zheng this time, first by the athletes to put forward their own ideas, and then by Zhang Dongliang to create." I want to spread Chinese culture, so the main color of the helmet is Chinese red, and the elements used are All Chinese elements, and yin Zheng hopes to have Peking Opera colors. Zhang Dongliang said.

Talking about the design of helmets for Chinese athletes in the Winter Olympics, Zhang Dongliang admitted that he was very proud. "Previously, I was mainly involved in the design of bicycle helmets, but now I am very happy to have the opportunity to participate in ice and snow sports. I also watched Yin Zheng's game, and I was very excited to see that he could achieve such a good result. After all, my work has landed on the field of the Winter Olympics, which makes me very proud. ”

In the future, Zhang Dongliang also hopes that he can participate in more racing sports, not only designing equipment for athletes, but also creating equipment for them. "Racing has a lot of demands on helmets, and I hope to give them more help in design and development in the future, after all, equipment is also one of the foundations of competitive sports." Zhang Dongliang said.

Edit: White tea

Source: Golden Sheep Network