Beijing Winter Olympics main torchbearers dodge the mixed interview area after the game? Me: Rumors, I hope some Western media are self-respecting

At the opening ceremony of the XXII Winter Olympic Games, two Chinese athletes, the main torchbearers, Diniger Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen, left a deep impression on audiences around the world when they embedded the torch in the center of the "Big Snowflake". The glorious moment of the Beijing Winter Olympics seems to have made some Western media feel like needles. A few days ago, the Us "New York Times", "Wall Street Journal" and other media tried their best to hype up the topic of "China's selection of ethnic minority athletes as the main torchbearer is a provocation" and "the athlete did not go through the mixed interview area after the game". On the 14th, DiNigl responded in an exclusive interview with the Global Times that some foreign media said that her "violation of the mixed interview area after the game" was really a rumor, "Those media who said that I did not go through the interview area may not even remember what I look like." At the same time, she said that these irresponsible hypes have seriously interfered with the state of the game between her and her teammates, and hopes that some Western media can "respect themselves".

"'Ignition' moment I will remember for the rest of my life"

GLOBAL TIMES: Please tell us about your experience as an athlete. In addition, the Wall Street Journal said that you "disappeared from the spotlight" after 'igniting', what are you doing these days?

Diniger: I am a Chinese cross-country skier Diniger Yilamujiang, from the Altay region of Xinjiang, 20 years old this year. In 2012, I was first exposed to skiing, officially started practicing skiing in 2015, and joined the Xinjiang cross-country skiing team in 2017.

These days I've been training intensely and preparing for competitions. I am an ordinary athlete, and I am not sure what the foreign media mean by "spotlight"? But I don't think any athlete is in the spotlight all the time when they're focused on the game, right? I participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time, cherished such a big competition opportunity, and was only willing to focus on the competition, not want to be disturbed by too many other things off the field. If a few people deliberately hype, it can only reflect their ignorance, or have ulterior motives.

GLOBAL TIMES: When did you learn that you had been chosen as the main torchbearer? What preparations and rehearsals did you do for this? How was the opening ceremony night?

Diniger: I learned about it about half a month before the opening ceremony, and our team leader told me that I was the torchbearer of "ignition", and I was very excited at the time, and I jumped up at once, really "shocked". Immediately after that, I started to have a lot of questions to ask, such as how do I run? How to "ignite"? After learning the news, I dreamed of "lighting a fire" every night.

I didn't think of this novel way of "ignition" at the time, I think this way is very environmentally friendly, very simple, but also unexpected, shocking the world. The moment of "ignition", I still look back on it, I am still very excited, or I still can't believe it, that moment I will remember for a lifetime.

"What those media do is disrespectful to athletes"

Global Times: The New York Times said that after the women's doubles chase of cross-country skiing on the 5th, you did not walk through the mixed interview area where the reporter was located, which "violated the rules of the International Olympic Committee" and " . Is this really the case?

Diniger: It's a rumor, there were dedicated staff who guided us into the mixed interview area after the game, I don't know what they thought, anyway, I went through the mixed interview area, and it was me and my teammate Bayani Garin who were together all the time, but they were in a state of confusion than the end. The media who said I didn't go through the interview area may not even remember what I looked like.

Global Times: Some Western media said that the selection of you to "ignite" is a kind of "provocation" by China to the West. As White House spokesman Psaki said on the 7th, "China's use of Uyghur athletes to pass the Olympic torch does not distract us from focusing on the 'human rights violations' in some parts of China." How do you respond to these voices?

Diniger: I'm a Winter Olympic athlete and I have the right to be chosen as a torchbearer. The selection of the Winter Olympic torchbearer will take into account all factors, including ethnicity, and I don't understand why I was "provocative" when I was chosen? As an athlete, I don't want to talk about politics, but because some irresponsible hype in the Western media has seriously interfered with the state of my game with my teammates, as a native of Xinjiang, I need to come out and respond: If it is true as they say, I and some of my Xinjiang teammates will not be able to appear in the world's top arena such as the Winter Olympics. I still want some of the media to focus on the event, and I don't want to distract me too much, which is disrespectful to us athletes and a lack of self-respect for their so-called professional foreign media. I just want to play well.

Global Times: Why did the country entrust you with such an honorable task?

Diniger: I think that the state entrusted me with the glorious task in order to show the world the true side of the harmony and unity of the big family of the Chinese nation. Moreover, the torch has been passed on from generation to generation by the old, middle-aged and young torchbearers, and finally passed to a young athlete like me, which is also in line with the connotation of "inheritance". In addition, everyone knows that Xinjiang Altay is the "origin of human skiing", my hometown is very close to ice and snow, there is a wealth of natural snow, so I also want to advertise my hometown here - I hope that more young athletes like me will participate in ice and snow sports, and I hope that everyone will come to Xinjiang to experience skiing.

"Hope to break the national record"

Global Times: You have participated in many parts of the world, what level do you think is the level of competition organization and venue of the Beijing Winter Olympics?

Diniger: Now playing at our own home stadium, I think there is nothing to say about all aspects of the conditions, it is really the top level in the world. I am very proud that we in China can have such a top competition venue, accommodation, meals and other aspects are perfect.

Global Times: We've seen you complete multiple events in cross-country skiing, such as finishing 43rd in the women's doubles in cross-country skiing. Are you satisfied with your results so far?

Diniger: The first few games haven't been as expected, but I have games behind me. I have high expectations of myself and I hope to break the national record. But so far, I haven't done it. However, after all, this is also my first time in the Winter Olympics, and now I just want to enjoy the game.