"At the 60-metre-high starting point, the Olympians were able to see a magnificent panorama." The Washington Post described, "Right in front of them, they can see the magnificent Beijing skyline, and the skyscrapers are straight into the sky." Behind them, they could see the steep, brown western mountains in the distance. And on their left, they can see a row of cooling towers full of sci-fi atmosphere... The Shougang ski jump may have brought the most surreal picture of the Olympic Games. ”
"One of the most spectacular venues of this Olympic Games is an example of urban rejuvenation." The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) wrote. ABC said that once upon a time, the capital steel plant in western Beijing has been "swallowing clouds and spitting fog", and now, the only ones who have risen into the air are the world's top skiers. They flipped around in an acrobatic way to welcome the Olympic glory.
"In these athletes, you see breathtaking body control, almost artistic." The Washington Post said. "On the site of a former steel mill, this giant jumping platform made of snow provides a stage for bold sporting feats."
The newspaper said that the Shougang big jump, as the world's first permanently retained big jump, has been widely loved by athletes from all over the world.
"It's so different, that's for sure." Swedish freestyle skier Henrik Harout told The Washington Post that he was the bronze medalist in the men's freestyle ski jump at the Winter Olympics. "I think this jump and everything was very nice and very beautiful. I think it's remarkable that they've turned a place that wasn't so pretty before into a better looking place. Harout said.
"Every time we come in in the car, we say we're like we're in a computer game, a movie, or something." American freestyle skier Alex Hall said. "It's amazing."
According to CNN, the area around the Shougang Jump has now become a trendy neighborhood, a busy tourist and art exhibition center, and in 2013, there was even an electronic music festival here. In the former steel mill building, there is a winter sports training center, a luxury hotel, and a trendy café with large floor-to-ceiling windows.
CNN said the Beijing municipal government called the project a "green ecological demonstration zone, a good example of how to reuse aging infrastructure.
"The whole industrial zone is really cool," American freestyle skier Mark Freyand told The Washington Post. "I like how China has transformed it into something else, they don't just let it sleep here. It was so cool to see this jump in the middle of this abandoned factory. I hope we can still come here in the future. ”
"It's one of our best aerial jumps." He added.
According to the Washington Post, skiers and enthusiasts alike love the big jump. The newspaper quoted Harrout as saying the site was "perfect" and "very, very well built." The report also said that in many countries, jumping platforms are often hastily built, rickety buildings, only to attract spectators, rather than putting the comfort and even safety of athletes first.
"We've been to a lot of stupid big jumps, and some of them are even on scaffolding, it's rough, the acceleration area is narrow, the landing surface is narrower, it's shorter." Harrout said, "Here, it's an ultra-wide runway, and there's even room on the side of the jump... It was absolutely very, very good for us. It's cool to be able to see a jump in the city like in the mountains. ”
"We are super lucky to have such a good venue." American athlete Colby Stevenson, silver medalist in the men's freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics, told The Washington Post.
Hall agrees. "This jump is really, really perfect." He said, "This venue is fantastic. ”
(China Youth Daily)