Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 16 (Reporters Zhang Yueshan, Liang Jinxiong, Tan Chang, Ma Sijia) looked at the curve of curling, leaned down low, almost lying on the ice... Compared with others, Ma Xiuyue, the fourth baseman and captain of the Chinese men's team, shot differently.
"The particularly low pitching posture is my characteristic, which I have studied myself. This has less pressure on the knees, is not afraid of a lot of training, and can prolong the career. When the reporter asked Ma Xiuyue about his special pot throwing posture, he replied.
On February 16, Ma Xiuyue from the Chinese team competed in the men's curling round robin tournament at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Ning
prologue
According to the data, the 30-year-old Ma Xiuyue has won only the third place in the 2015 Asia-Pacific Championships and the two seventh places in the 2011 and 2012 World Youth Championships. From being nameless to standing in the spotlight of the Beijing Winter Olympics, he persevered alone, unwilling to leave his love.
The name is like a girl, and the speech is also slow and logical. Ma Xiuyue is from the "ice city" of Harbin, which is also the hometown of Wang Bingyu and other curling masters. Graduating from junior high school in 2006, he was active for the first time when he came into contact with curling, and he liked it at once, and the more he practiced, the more he liked it, and he loved to think about it when he had nothing to do.
With her interest in curling, Ma Xiuyue improved rapidly, and was selected for the national team in 2010, and then won the seventh place in the World Youth Championships for two consecutive years. Successes that were too easy were often not valued, and he was a bit fluttery when he was around 20 years old.
tortuous
In 2013, he was returned to the provincial team.
"I stayed at home for three years." Ma Xiuyue recalled that there were fewer and fewer people around her who insisted. "The players in the same batch slowly stopped practicing and moved on to other professions."
In the three years of the provincial team, there were no games to play. "It's basically fixing the ice, sometimes bringing in the new team."
Do you want to give up?
"But all my mind is still on curling, and I love to study these things when I have nothing to do, which is a bit enchanting." Because I am interested in curling itself, I don't feel particularly hard, and I enjoyed the process. ”
Ma Xiuyue of the Chinese team in the men's curling round robin at the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 12. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Jingyan
No, not reconciled.
In order to alleviate the "ice weariness" caused by a large number of repetitive training, he even added decorations to his curling equipment, just to add a little freshness to the boring training.
Ma Xiuyue, who was slowly accumulating strength, waited, waiting for a gust of east wind. In 2015, Beijing and Zhangjiakou won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. That year, with progress and maturity, he returned.
"When you're fully committed to something, you may reap the rewards."
Play
On February 9, 2022, Ma Xiuyue and his teammates who had not participated in the Winter Olympics stood on the stage of the Beijing Winter Olympics for the first time, and they lost that game, but they "enjoyed it": "Participating in the Winter Olympics is every athlete's dream, and I have fantasized about standing on this stage countless times. Now I really stand up and feel very proud. ”
On February 9, Ma Xiuyue of the Chinese team competed in the men's curling round robin tournament at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Jingyan
Looking back on the game a few days later, Ma Xiuyue finally admitted that she was "beating fast and trembling."
The World Ranking of the Chinese team is the lowest among the ten participating teams. On the 11th, they defeated Denmark to win their first Winter Olympics. In the crucial ninth set, Ma Xiuyue made a big mistake, and then he faced the opponent with two points to accurately break the game, and in the last game, he easily knocked out the opponent pot in the base camp to help the Chinese team lock in the victory.
"When you win, you feel relaxed. At that time, my teammates gave me a lot of support and encouragement, and I adjusted in time. Ma Xiuyue said.
On the 12th, the Chinese team continued to work hard and defeated the Italian team to win two consecutive victories. In that game, how to keep the victory in the leading situation became a new issue for the players. It was Ma Xiuyue who won three points for the Chinese team in the last shot of the eighth inning, becoming the winner and loser of the game.
"Today the adjustment of mentality is better than before, there are no mood swings. The last shot of the eighth inning came up with a desperate feeling, a sense of belief that 'this ball will definitely be made'. Ma Xiuyue said that for the first time at the Winter Olympics, there was this feeling of "to win and to win", which was particularly wonderful.
On the 15th, the Chinese team defeated the Norwegian team again. Ma Xiuyue said: "Today we really let go. The key to winning the game is that the mentality is relaxed, the players no longer shrink their hands and feet, and start to enjoy the feeling of the game. ”
On the 16th, the Chinese team defeated the Swiss team again in the final round-robin match, and the ranking rose to a tie for fifth place, just one step away from advancing to the semi-finals. In this game, the success rate of the Chinese team reached 95%. Ma Xiuyue admits that he has participated in very few international competitions, and this competition is the best and most satisfying competition in his life.
'After playing the last game, we didn't feel like we had enough, and if we were given five more games, we would have played better.
Ma Xiuyue has the habit of keeping a diary, and this habit has also persisted in the closed loop. In the diary, Ma Xiuyue saw the change in the mentality of himself and his teammates, from the initial desire to win and fear of losing to the complete relaxation later, every game is improving, and everyone's play is getting better and better.
Chinese team Ma Xiuyue (second from left) and teammates play in the men's curling round robin at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Feb. 16. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter
Ma Xiuyue believes that the gap between the Chinese team and the world's strongest teams is not large, but because of the lack of experience in the competition, the handling of key balls is not perfect.
"I've given myself a longer career plan. This is my first Winter Olympics, and I think this is just the beginning, and I am looking forward to the next Winter Olympic cycle. Imagining the future, Ma Xiuyue is optimistic and determined.
Off-site
At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Ma Xiuyue's harvest was not only on the field, but also on the field.
In the match with the United States team on the 13th, in the case of the opponent's initiative to admit that he "touched the pot", Ma Xiuyue rejected the option proposed by the referee and the opponent that "the Chinese team can directly put the scoring pot back to the base camp", although it is possible for the Chinese team to reverse the unfavorable situation at that time.
Talking about this decision, Ma Xiuyue said calmly: "The referee said that you can swing the ball back. But when we look at the still ball, even if he doesn't touch it, it won't affect the line of the pitch. Because curling is a gentleman's project, it doesn't affect [curling] and we don't swing the ball back. ”
In the game against switzerland on the 16th, the crucial tenth set, the opponent "touched the pot" again, and Ma Xiuyue once again chose to keep the situation unchanged. He believed that "touching the pot" had little impact on the game and was confident of maintaining the advantage, so he chose to maintain the situation at that time. "It's about seeking truth from facts. If you don't, even if you win, you won't be able to pass your own level. ”
Only by giving up the gains and losses of one city and one pool can we gain the respect of our opponents and the peace of mind. In Ma Xiuyue's view, being a captain is also a discipline of sacrifice and gain. As a captain, you must be responsible for the team, communicate well with each team member, consider the feelings of others, and only by not arguing and sharing can the team be more united.
On February 15, Ma Xiuyue of the Chinese team competed in the men's curling round robin tournament at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Ju Huanzong, Xinhua News Agency
Only three days after the start of the race, Ma Xiuyue's voice was hoarse. But he's happy because it shows that there's more and more communication between his teammates and a lot more understanding. The first time he participates in the Winter Olympics, he and his teammates will do their best to burn their whole being.
Usually, Ma Xiuyue likes to practice calligraphy and throw darts. He said that calligraphy can make people more focused and quiet, and as a captain, you must have a clear brain. Darts and curling shots have similarities, and you can feel something different when you need to "jump out of curling and look at curling".
Clicking on Ma Xiuyue's Weibo, the introduction read, "Before I won, everything was not over. The head on it was exactly what he was lying low on the ice, staring at the pot throwing in front of him.
Source: Xinhua News Agency