"This is what the Olympics are!"
On the evening of February 14, after Chinese athlete Xu Mengtao won the gold medal in women's aerial skills in free skiing, Ashley Caldwell, an American athlete who fell to fourth place in the last minute mistake, wiped away tears, smiled and took the initiative to hug Xu Mengtao to express congratulations: "Taotao, Olympic champion!" (Editor's note: "Peach, Olympic champion!") ”）
Xu Mengtao buried her head in Caldwell's arms and burst into tears, and the two embraced each other affectionately. The former shouted "AMAZEING", the latter encouraged: "Inyourowncountry!" I‘m so proud of you!” (Editor's note: In your own country (to win the championship), I'm so proud of you!) ）
It is not only an opponent, but also a friend; it is not only a lifelong enemy, but also a lifelong friend - the elders of the four dynasties who are also the Olympic Games, Xu Mengtao and Caldwell's sympathy and affectionate embrace, so that the global audience is deeply moved. On social media, netizens have sighed: "Sportsmanship knows no borders!" "That's what the Olympics are!" "This scene is so beautiful! Oh my God, who's crying? It's me! The friendship of the girls is so touching! ”
Pictured: Hua Chunying also praised the sportsmanship embraced by the two players.
Caldwell lost on the field, but off the field she won. Because showing the spirit of sportsmanship and shining the light of friendship, this is the spirit of the Olympic Games. An Asian-American journalist who works for NBC News in the United States said on the overseas social networking site "Twitter" that The scene of Caldwell's excitement and celebration of Xu Mengtao is a true display of sportsmanship, "sports can bring people together, not politics and other things."
A producer of an Australian sports news website also believes that the moment when Caldwell and Xu Mengtao embraced was too "special", and even if Caldwell made a mistake on the ground in the last jump and did not win a medal, she still wanted to congratulate the Chinese athletes who made history.
In addition to praising Xu Mengtao's performance as worthy of the gold medal, a Canadian netizen said more emotionally that the scene where she and Caldwell embraced together made her "moved to cry early in the morning."
It is worth noting that Hua Chunying, assistant minister of foreign affairs of China, also praised the sportsmanship displayed by the two after the game on social media.
On the field, players from all over the world work hard to always compete for the first place; outside the arena, they feel sorry for each other and pass on friendship. At the Scene of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the "fairy friendship" that transcends politics, the state and the nation is staged almost every moment.
In the curling event, after the Chinese team Fan Suyuan and Ling Zhi lost to the United States team, they gave their opponents Pulis and Pesinger the "ice pier" commemorative badge to wish them good luck and the two sides took a group photo. A day later, the Chinese team also received a gift from the American team: a beautifully designed badge.
In the women's 3000m of speed skating, China's Akhnar Adak crossed the finish line and took the initiative to pay tribute to the German veteran Peshstein, who was 27 years older than her, who in turn encouraged her: "You skate well, and your future will definitely get better and better." "This kind of friendly act of mutual appreciation and encouragement is the embodiment of the Olympic spirit."
Pictured: Chinese and American curlers exchange gifts.
Up and down the field, the competitions and exchanges between Chinese athletes and global athletes have interpreted the core of the new Olympic slogan of "faster, higher, stronger and more united", which is different from the political manipulation of sports by a small number of politicians who engaged in political manipulation before the start of the Olympic Games and shouted "no officials" to manipulate the politicization of sports.
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic still raging around the world and the escalation of world conflicts and suspicions, the Beijing Winter Olympics were successfully held as scheduled, providing the best competitive stage for ice and snow athletes around the world, building a bridge to enhance friendship, issuing a call to the world to "go to the future together", and condensing the strength of human unity.
On the field of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, one warm hug after another, sincere encouragement, and friendly smiling faces all show that the politicized manipulation of the Olympic Games that a small number of politicians in the West have not won the hearts of the people at all, and athletes and netizens who truly understand the spirit of sports and the Olympic spirit have "punched in the face" with practical actions; all of them have confirmed that sports can completely break prejudice, cross borders, cross races, and transcend politics; all of them confirm that friendly exchanges between athletes and common progress can transcend the competition itself. It has nothing to do with winning or losing the competition, it presents the best in the Olympic Games.
The modern Olympic Games have long transcended the boundaries of nationality, skin color, ethnicity, religion, ideology and so on, connecting the whole world together, and the international sports exchanges represented by the Olympic Games have become a bridge of friendship between people and countries. Inside and outside the arena, when Caldwell and Xu Mengtao embraced each other affectionately and encouraged each other, Chinese and American curling athletes exchanged gifts to pass on friendship, athletes from all over the world showed solidarity and friendship, and the event organization won the praise of people from all over the world, which is the best look of the Beijing Winter Olympics and the best look of the human Olympic Movement.
As IOC President Bach said in his opening remarks: "We want to prove to the world that fiercely competitive adversaries can also coexist peacefully and respect each other." That is the mission of the Olympic Games, to unite people in peaceful competition. The Olympic Games always build bridges of communication, never walls. ”
The Beijing Winter Olympics have already given the answer.
Column Editor-in-Chief: Chen Hua Text Editor: Chen Hua
Source: Author: Chen Hua