The Paper's reporters Ma Zuoyu and Pu Yaolei were from Beijing
Group photo of the Chinese short track team after the game.
2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze, this is a report card handed over by the Chinese short track speed skating team at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
On the evening of February 16, on the ice of the Capital Gymnasium, the Chinese Short Track Speed Skating Corps finally failed to take the podium in the men's 5000m relay and the women's 1500m relay in the final battle.
In the men's 5000m relay, the Chinese team slid off the track due to mistakes and ranked fifth; Han Yutong reached the final in the women's 1500m and ranked seventh.
Fan Kexin, Da Yang Yang and Wu Dajing take selfies after the game.
Compared with the 1 gold and 2 silver at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 4 years ago, China's short track speed skating is gradually accelerating, "from the beginning of the World Cup to the present, you can see that the performance of the men's team is the first echelon." After finishing the journey of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Ren Ziwei, who won two gold medals, gave the team's performance a 7-pointer, "We have a breakthrough, but there are also some regrets. ”
If the performance of China's short-track speed skating at the last Winter Olympics was interfered with by too many "factors other than the level of punishment and competition"; then this time, in a fair and just environment, China's short track speed skating showed the true level of "new and old alternating" state:
The veterans are still mainstays, and the Mesozoic is carrying the banner, but the young players need to work harder to pass on the honor and spirit of the short track.
The Chinese short track team won the first gold for the Chinese delegation.
"Every Olympic Games, short track speed skating has people stand up"
"It's our tradition to have someone come forward every time we play and not disappoint. We just fight with all our might, wherever we fight. ”
Almost a week ago, when Ren Ziwei won the gold medal in the men's 1000m final, he said this sentiment at the post-match press conference. And the short track speed skater that Ren Ziwei said to "stand up" was himself.
On the first competition day, Ren Ziwei, together with Wu Dajing, Fan Kexin, Qu Chunyu and Zhang Yuting, won the gold medal in the mixed team 2000m relay. That was also the first gold of the Chinese delegation at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
In the men's 1000m race that followed, Ren Ziwei won another gold for the Chinese team. At that time, Ren Ziwei attributed the credit for the gold medal to the strength of the team after the game - in that game, Wu Dajing and Li Wenlong both reached the final final.
"I feel like the race came to the end (winning the gold medal) and the three of us are also the strength of the team and a testament to the four years of hard work on our project."
Ren Ziwei won two gold medals in this competition.
In addition to thanking the team, Ren Ziwei said the most in this competition is the word "spelling". In fact, to be able to stand up for China's short track speed skating in this Winter Olympics, Ren Ziwei really did everything.
"The last four years have been the hardest four years of my life, but I was able to persevere from start to finish, and I am very grateful to myself and to my friends and family for their support." Ren Ziwei said more than once that it was not easy for him and his team to prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics cycle, "This is an extraordinary four years, we survived, everyone has come this way." ”
Persistence and hard work, in exchange for Ren Ziwei's rapid improvement in ability. At the four World Cups just before the Beijing Winter Olympics, Ren Ziwei won the gold medal in the individual event and became the only player to participate in the full event.
Not only that, this season Ren Ziwei's world ranking is also at the forefront - 1500 meters ranked first in the world, 500 meters ranked third in the world, 1000 meters ranked seventh, the International Skating Federation called him an "all-rounder".
Although after winning two gold medals, Ren Ziwei was not able to match the "Olympic three gold" record set by Wang Meng in his subsequent strengths 1500 meters and 500 meters, but Ren Ziwei, who is less than 25 years old, has become the biggest surprise of China's short track speed skating in this Olympic cycle.
More importantly, Ren Ziwei inherited the spirit of Chinese short track speed skating on and off the field, and showed the strength and potential to become a new generation of leaders.
As he himself said, "I grew up living in the army compound, and on the field, athletes are soldiers with guns, and they must do everything they can to become 'sharp knives'." ”
Wu Dajing also wants to continue to dedicate himself to the Short Track for China.
The persistence of the veteran is the driving force of the whole team
"Watching Ziwei get the gold medal, this is something I am very pleased about. I have witnessed Ziwei's hard work and dedication, he won the championship, and I think I feel the same as his mood. ”
After competing with all the events of this Winter Olympics, Wu Dajing, who was standing in the mixed interview area after the game, held the thermos cup and calmly summarized the performance of his teammates. Although Wu Dajing is still more than 5 months away from turning 28 years old, he is already the "big brother" in this team.
At the last Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Wu Dajing won the only gold medal for China's short track speed skating, and in the final of the men's 500 meters, he rode to the top. Four years later, although Wu Dajing was still the world record holder, he was unable to defend his title in the men's 500 meters.
Ren Ziwei hugged Wu Dajing.
"It's a shame." That's the most common phrase Wu Dajing said in that post-match interview — "Probably in the past, my goal was to rush gold." But with my own four years of experience, from now on, the goal may change with time. Before the game, half a year ago, or a year ago ... The coaches told me to just enjoy it. ”
Age and the accumulation of injuries and illnesses are Wu Dajing's biggest enemy in sliding on the ice. At his third Winter Olympics, Wu Dajing's absolute speed may no longer be at the peak, but he is still the mainstay of this short track speed skating team.
On social networks, that Wu Dajing patted Ren Ziwei's hand behind his back, signaling Ren Ziwei to rush forward with tactics, and the photo of himself responsible for the "card position" touched many ice fans and netizens, which was enough to show his role as a spiritual leader in the team.
Fan Kexin kissed the ice surface.
We are all "Superman"
In addition to Wu Dajing, Fan Kexin, who is also the "Elder of the Three Dynasties", is also the mainstay of this short-track speed skating team.
She first played steadily in the mixed team relay to help the team win the "first gold", and then surpassed her opponents in the women's 3000m relay to help the team win the bronze medal.
"I've been waiting for this gold medal for 12 years." After finally winning the gold medal on the Olympic stage, Fan Kexin cried, "There are too many people I want to thank, I have been in the national team for 12 years, every training we are fighting, fighting to the throat is bloody, but at this moment, I think everything is worth it." ”
Fan Kexin's persistence and Wu Dajing's persistence are the highlights of the Chinese short-track army at the Beijing Winter Olympics that shine more than the gold medal. It is precisely because of the persistence and efforts of these two "elders of the three dynasties" that China's short track speed skating can show such unity, hard work and positive spirit at this Winter Olympics.
Just like the "superman" celebration that the women's relay team put up when they took the stage to receive the bronze medal, it was Fan Kexin who came up with it, "Each of us is very hard, we are all superman, we should be proud of ourselves." ”
The Chinese women's team "Superman" celebrates the action.
Learn to face pressure and public opinion
For the Chinese short track speed skating team that is now in the stage of "alternating the old and the new", it is gratifying that when all the competitions are over, the "first brother" and "one sister" in the team have invariably expressed their determination - "as long as the motherland needs me, I will still go all out and stay on the field".
However, age and injuries are problems that all veterans cannot avoid. When Wu Dajing and Fan Kexin gradually gave up their core positions, whether the young members of the Chinese short track speed skating team could take over the baton of their predecessors determined whether this "ace division" could continue the "gold-winning tradition" in the next Olympic cycle and the next Winter Olympics.
Judging from the current situation, the task in front of the Chinese team's head coaches Kim Sun-tae and Ahn Hyun-so is very arduous.
The 24-year-old Ren Ziwei already has the strength to stand firm in the men's "first echelon". In the post-match interview of the closing match, Ren Ziwei also admitted, "Coach Jin Shantai helped him make great progress in the long distance, tried some things that he had never touched before, and improved our overall level." ”
Li Wenlong collided with his opponent in the relay semifinals.
However, during the short track speed skating competition of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Ren Ziwei still exposed the problem of insufficient mental stability.
As he summed it up himself – "I was in particularly good shape in my first two races, and I didn't have that much of a burden mentally and physically." After that, I had more thoughts, my spirit was too nervous, and my body was tired, so I made mistakes and was a little disappointed in myself. ”
Ren Ziwei said, "Still treat me as a small transparent person, I am still used to being a transparent person, and I don't like to be a hot search person." Just don't report me. ”
But as the absolute core of China's short track speed skating in the future, Ren Ziwei must learn to "coexist" with the pressure of public opinion, only in this way can he stand on the world stage with a more calm attitude.
At this Winter Olympics, Li Wenlong, who was jokingly called "the little son of the whole people", was another surprise of Chinese short-track speed skating.
When he still carried out tactical arrangements when he had problems with the ice blades, and eventually won a valuable silver medal, his personal ability and potential were also recognized by the outside world.
"The first time I participated in the Olympic Games, I learned from my experience, continued to go all out, and continued to fight." After completing the Olympic "debut", Li Wenlong's idea is very "down-to-earth", "The next goal is the next Winter Olympics, continue to catch up, catch up with the world's highest level." ”
The young players need to catch up
Of course, I have to mention Sun Long.
In Wang Meng's mouth, he hated Sun Long for iron and steel; and after the 5,000-meter relay fell, netizens also expressed their dissatisfaction with Sun Long.
After the game, the young Sun Long cried, and Wu Dajing also hoped that the outside world would tolerate him - "He is only 20 years old, and he will get better and better in the future." ”
Sun Long himself apologized again through social media — he used six consecutive "I'm sorry."
"Today's fall was caused by my rush to connect, it was all my fault, there was no excuse. Since I joined the national team, I have always thought that I can represent China. But today, due to my mistake, everyone's efforts were in vain. ”
The future arrangement of the Chinese team needs to be pondered by coach Jin Shantai.
"I'm really sorry for my teammates, sorry for our coaching staff and the whole team, sorry for all the ice fans who love short track speed skating, sorry for the family and friends who have always believed in me and have high hopes for me, but the most sorry I am most sorry for is to nurture my homeland."
"I've disappointed everyone, I'll accept all the criticism from everyone, I'm really sorry!"
The apologetic social media sent out for 6 hours and received more than 400,000 likes, with a total of 45,000 comments.
Among them, the most praised message is - "Please use the next Olympic Games to punch us in the face, have a good rest, competitive sports are full of regrets, heartache for all of you!" ”
Sun Long fell in the final.
For the younger generation of athletes, we must be aware of the responsibility and mission of the Chinese short track team.
Also on the women's team side, Han Yutong, Fan Kexin and Qu Chunyu have participated in many Olympic Games in a row, but the leaders of the future women's team have not yet appeared, and the Chinese women have gradually lost their way in the 500 meters, 1000 meters and 1500 meters of the former dominant projects...
If you want to take on the phrase "you can always trust the Chinese short track speed skating team", including Li Wenlong, Sun Long, Zhang Yuting and the young members of the short track speed skating team need to work harder – when they are accelerating, the young players of the short track speed skating powerhouses including Canada, Hungary, South Korea and Italy have emerged.
Fortunately, today's short track speed skating team has shown enough unity and trust, just like Fan Kexin's expectations for the future, "I will do my best to help young players, and I also look forward to the country to train more excellent athletes in the future, because our goal is to win gold." ”
Editor-in-Charge: Ascendas
Proofreader: Yan Zhang