After a new snow, Zhangjiakou laid out a pure white "snow canvas" for athletes from all over the world who came to participate in the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games.
Winter Paralympic athlete Marty Serranin from Finland is making a pen on his skis and enjoying the journey of marking his life symbol on the "snow canvas".
Marty Serranin performs one-handed ground bracing in Finland. Courtesy of Marty Serranin
"I am 'Old Beijing' Liu Di"
A few weeks before coming to Beijing, Marty posted on social media that she was about to visit his "hometown."
The 37-year-old Is a snowboarder on the Finnish Paralympic team, but he always calls himself "Old Beijing". Mattie came to China at the age of 2 due to his father's work, and since then he has lived intermittently in China for more than 20 years. "China is my hometown." Marty told People's Daily.
China is of great significance in Marty's life. "I spent my childhood in China, got my bachelor's degree from Beijing Language and Culture University, and worked here to meet my French wife." Marty said.
In 1994, Marty and his Chinese cousin Liu Jing were in Beijing. Courtesy of Marty Serranin
For many Chinese, Finns are mostly social and prefer to be alone. But Marty was very different. The experience of living and studying in China has made him a very talkative and outgoing person. Not only does he speak fluent Chinese, but he also has a Chinese name "Liu Di". Living in Beijing for more than a decade turned him into a living map of the city.
"It feels so good to be back in China! All sports venues and facilities are perfect and friendly to disabled athletes!" Marty said.
This is the second time That Marty has come to Zhangjiakou. Nearly a decade later, this once ordinary city has been transformed into a dazzling sports center. The Finnish ski enthusiast is amazed by the professional sports venues and the full range of disabled equipment. Here, he will meet winter paralympic athletes from all over the world to compete for his snow dreams.
In 2008, Marty tried skateboarding on Anli Road in Beijing, when his arm had not yet been amputated. Courtesy of Marty Serranin
In 2018, Marty and his friends skied in Rovaniemi, Finland. Courtesy of Marty Serranin
"Sports make me myself"
In addition to being a snowboarder, Marty has won two silver medals in world-class para taekwondo and bronze at the 2018 Long Distance Knife/Axe Throw World Championships.
Taekwondo, skiing, throwing... Marty loves to try a variety of different kinds of sports. In his eyes, these movements have a commonality, that is, to control their bodies and lives while aiming at the target.
Marty competed as a taekwondo athlete at the 2022 Finnish National Championships. Courtesy of Marty Serranin
"When I first started skiing I was worried about the route, the snowboard and myself. But after a while, I started to realize that I was my own master and that sports taught me to be myself. Marty said.
Laughter and small talk are common sounds in the Winter Paralympic Games. "When I train, I meet skiers from Romania, the UK and Poland. We shared course information with each other, discussed weather conditions and felt at ease. Marty said.
Marty competes in the 2018 Long Distance Knife/Axe Throw world championship. Courtesy of Marty Serranin
For Marty, a positive attitude towards life and respect for opponents are excellent qualities for athletes with disabilities. Mutual help and exchange and integration between different cultures is another meaning of the Winter Paralympic Games in addition to competition. "Even though technically some of them are my opponents, we still help each other and that's one of the reasons I love snowboarding." he said.
"I've also noticed that athletes who have had physical setbacks are very positive," Mattie says, "and because we've been through some (challenging) things, we should care more about others." ”
After living in Finland for many years, returning to his "hometown" to participate in the Winter Paralympics will be of great significance to Marty. It's a journey to reconnect old memories and find new goals again. Now, Marty is shining on the stage of the Winter Paralympic Games with a new goal.
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