The Paper's reporter Pu Yaolei
The Beijing Winter Olympics, which just passed, were undoubtedly some regrets for Chinese snowboarder Cai Xuetong.
In the final of the snowboard U-shaped track, she passed by the podium with a fourth-place finish. Standing on the Winter Olympic field for four times, Cai Xuetong still failed to win a dream medal.
"I gained a lot of joy during the whole preparation process, and I really enjoyed the satisfaction brought by this sport." The Olympics cannot deny my achievements. After wiping away the tears, Cai Xuetong did not let himself indulge in regret. In an exclusive interview with the surging news (www.thepaper.cn) reporter, she has looked to the future, "Looking at the failure of this Winter Olympics, it is more like a microcosm of life, there is nothing to do, only to move forward." ”
Cai Xuetong sat alone on the aisle after finishing the game.
The four Winter Olympics experiences are a valuable asset
For Cai Xuetong, the significance of the Winter Olympic medal is undoubtedly extraordinary.
At the age of 29, she has already won countless championships on the world stage - world championships, World Cup sub-station champions, World Cup championships... And so many honors have been collected by her many times, and the only missing Winter Olympic medal is naturally more tempting.
Unfortunately, the fourth place in the final of the Beijing Winter Olympics made her rub shoulders with the medals once again.
"In the end, I may have a little bit of bad luck, and in the end (a slip) I didn't succeed, and if I did, the result might be different, which makes me feel bad." After the game, she told reporters that at that time, she couldn't help but shed unwilling tears.
Now, on the occasion of the dialogue with the surging news reporter, Cai Xuetong recalled the trip to the Winter Olympics, and it is still difficult to regret: "The Olympic Games are the dream of every athlete, the stage where athletes attract worldwide attention, and everyone wants to shine on this stage, which is an undeniable fact." The goal is to stand on the podium. ”
"At that time, it was particularly uncomfortable to finish the comparison, and I felt that my efforts in the process were not proportional to the final result. Not just me, our entire team was heartbroken. ”
But after a period of precipitation, she also gradually walked out of such a low mood. In her view, although the four Winter Olympics experience has not won medals, it is already a valuable asset in itself, "On the other hand, the failure of this Winter Olympics is more like a microcosm of life, there is nothing to do, only to move forward." ”
"Now I feel like I'm going to let go of a lot, and although I didn't achieve the desired results, I gained a lot of happiness throughout the preparation process and really enjoyed the satisfaction that this sport brings me." The Olympics cannot deny my achievements. ”
The fourth place result also created Cai Xuetong's best result in the Winter Olympics so far.
Enjoying skiing is the biggest motivation
Looking back on his four trips to the Winter Olympics, Cai Xuetong said that this is a process of gradual growth: "This Winter Olympics, my mentality is very good, the first three times, especially in Pyeongchang, because the pressure is too much, so I will limit my skating level. So this time, when I was preparing for the battle, I told myself to show my best state. ”
"When I was in Vancouver, I was young and had no experience. The second (Winter Olympics) is a low period of their own, and there are injuries, but also face their own psychological shadow, because they have been injured, so there will be a feeling of fear when doing actions. PyeongChang felt psychologically at its peak, but in fact this thought caused me stress and did not play as well as I wanted. ”
Now standing on the field in Beijing, Cai Xuetong said that he learned the lesson of Pyeongchang: "Take it easy, just enjoy it." ”
And the final fourth place result did create Cai Xuetong's best result in the Winter Olympics so far.
When the surging news reporter asked what supported her to stick to her skiing career, Cai Xuetong mentioned two words: love.
"I love it more, I love the sport, and while winning an Olympic medal is something every athlete looks forward to, it's not necessarily about standing on the podium as the ultimate goal. I've been enjoying the joy that this sport brings to me. ”
"The hardest thing to overcome (in the Beijing cycle) is the difficulties brought to me by the epidemic, training under closed conditions, no games in the season... They all have a certain impact, but I am still trying to actively prepare for the battle under the only conditions. ”
For the fourth Olympic trip, Cai Xuetong's preparation road is extremely difficult.
Ageing has not dampened the enthusiasm for skiing
Cai Xuetong, born in 1993, is china's first generation of snowboard U-shaped track players. As early as the age of 10, Cai Xuetong was attracted to the project by the amateur sports school, and she once described the feeling of skiing: "In the gliding and jumping, I feel like a bird flying freely. ”
In the face of the surging news reporter, she also recalled the moment when she fell in love with snowboarding.
"When the coach took me from the bottom of the U-shaped pool, swinging from side to side, one, two. Then I swung the blade of the skateboard to the edge of the groove, and when I came down, my heart suddenly sank, and I experienced an unprecedented feeling of weightlessness. ”
"It's like a roller coaster ride, it's a feeling I'll never forget, and I think it's been since then that I've been completely in love with the sport of snowboarding U-track skills."
This kind of love has taken root in Cai Xuetong's heart ever since. "My parents and my relatives, no one is engaged in skiing, not even in sports. The parents were initially unsupportive, believing that skiing was a dangerous sport and did not want their daughter to suffer. But I just like sports, I like sports, my parents can't persuade me, I was already determined. She told the surging news reporter.
Many injuries in her career have not stopped her from moving forward, as she said before: "Injuries are normal, we just play the limit, where are there no injuries?" And we didn't feel that this project was like playing, and it didn't feel so hard. ”
For the future, she said she still wouldn't leave skiing, which would be the love of her life.
In the future, snowboarding will remain a lifelong love
Although he is already a veteran at the moment, Cai Xuetong's love and dedication to snowboarding has never been reduced by half a point.
"I don't think age is a problem, age (growing) allows me to listen better to my body, and I don't have injury challenges at the moment." She confessed to the surging reporter.
"I think that after the age of 25, the changes in physical function are actually better than when I was younger, and I have a deeper understanding of this sport from the perspective of my mind." Now I'm telling myself that enjoying the process and sliding out of the best state is my goal. ”
At this moment, what she wants to say most is thanks, "The understanding of snowboarding will continue to change with the years, which is the main reason why I can always go higher." 」 I feel like I have to thank this sport for all that this sport has brought me, but snowboarding has made me experience a different life, a free life. ”
"Regardless of the results, I have always loved the sport of skiing and have always been passionate about skiing." As a three-star Olympic athlete ambassador for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Cai Xuetong said that he usually uses mobile phone video shooting and other scientific and technological means to assist in training, and continue his good state for a longer time.
For the future, she said she still won't leave skiing, which will be the love of her life.
"I also thought about what I would do after I retired, I wanted to do a women's training camp where the girls played together and took everyone to the snowy mountains I walked abroad to ski together. It's still around the snowboarding thing, because that's what I'm good at. ”
"This is a very successful Winter Olympics and I believe that more people will join in through this spread. In the future, I hope that China's skaters will continue to emerge, and the new generation of skaters will get better and better, and I have great confidence in them. ”
Editor-in-Charge: Ma Zuoyu
Proofreader: Yijia Xu