On February 14, 2009, Xu Mengtao won her first World Cup title, on February 14, 2014, Xu Mengtao won her first Olympic medal in Sochi, and on February 14, 2022, she won the Beijing Winter Olympics Freestyle SkiIng Aerial Skills Women's Individual Event at Genting Ski Park, becoming China's first women's champion in the event, and also allowing China to win the gold medal in the Winter Olympics event for the second time in 16 years.
"It was a very special (special) day!" Xu Mengtao's eyes widened and he shouted, "In the future, I decided to set my wedding anniversary on February 14th, and I will also give birth on February 14th!" ”
After Xu Mengtao completed the difficult action of flipping backwards three-turn 1080 degrees in the final, the venue that had just been silent immediately erupted into a shout, and one of the loudest sounds was from the excited Xu Mengtao. She roared and emerged from a snow curtain raised from the snowboard beneath her feet, her white ski suit blending in with the snow curtain, and the golden helmet on her head shining brightly.
A few days ago, she also wore this golden helmet on her head and participated in the mixed team competition with her teammates Jia Zongyang and Qi Guangpu, but unfortunately only won a silver medal. She seemed very brave and calm, comforting her distressed teammates and dealing with media interviews, but she cried after winning the silver medal at the awards plaza the next day. "I think it's a pity, if our national anthem was played at that time, and the five-star red flag flying at the top was how good it would be!" Xu Mengtao said, "Everything has turned over, before I came today, I made all the plans and thought of everything I could think of." ”
This day's final, Xu Mengtao called it an "immersive final". As the most watched athlete on the scene, she is the protagonist of the live big screen lock, she will be asked for a group photo, she will be asked to sign a photo, and even someone will pat her shoulder and pat her head. "But I'm standing there today with a really special investment, I don't care about anybody, really, I just want to win this gold medal for my country, I think I can do it." She said.
Her score surpassed that of the Belarusian player who had previously ranked first in the final, and her last finalist, the American Caldwell, did not score more than her. "I'm so excited, at this moment I have to slow down for a while, it feels like a dream, it's not real, I have to settle down." Xu Mengtao had not eased up, Caldwell had rushed over to hug her, and the American girl shouted: "Mengtao, you did it, you did it!" ”
Oh, yes! Four Olympic Games, 12 years of waiting. No one knows how many times in the heart of 31-year-old Xu Mengtao, how many times he dreamed of winning the moment of gold, and how many times he flashed the idea of giving up in his heart. Especially at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, she only got the 9th place in the end, and she returned home in a gray and slippery way. "I really felt a turning point for me." When she said this, tears couldn't stop flowing, "After I came back, I immediately had meniscus surgery on two legs. When I was in my hospital bed, looking at my two surgical legs, I was thinking at that moment, do I want to stick to Beijing? Because if I insist on it, it's four years again, can I do it? ”
"I am grateful for not giving up on myself," Xu Mengtao said. Step by step, she walked to February 14, 2022. The devilish days of training in the Qinhuangdao base pool last summer, she recalled it as if she were playing every day. "Every day's training changes into tricks, no matter what kind of weather, no matter what kind of state, it will be practiced over and over, hard practice, frequent practice, repeated practice." Xu Mengtao said, "The coach is very strict with me, he wants to score. ”
Realizing the dream of gold medal, will Xu Mengtao work for another four years? "Look at the mood!" She said lightly, "I just want to say one thing now, please don't give up your efforts, your efforts may help you at any time, and it will definitely be at the most critical time." ”
Source Beijing Daily Client | Reporters Li Yuanfei, Chen Jiakun, Deng Fangjia, and Pan Zhiwang
Editor Intern Editor Zhao Siyao
Process Editor Liu Weili