To grow is to rise to the challenge

Pictured here on February 19, the Chinese team combination Sui Wenjing (part 2) / Han Cong in the Figure Skating Pairs Free Skating Competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Ning

Turning back the clock to February this year, on the ice at the Beijing Winter Olympics, figure skating duo Sui Wenjing/Han Cong set three new scoring world records in team and pair skating, and successfully won the gold medal in pair skating. So far, they have completed the achievement of winning all five world championships since their partner.

Going back to April 2007, on an ordinary piece of ice, 12-year-old Sui Wenjing and 15-year-old Han Cong became partners. In the next 15 years, the duo grew hand in hand, inspired each other, braved the haze of injury, faced setbacks on the field, and constantly challenged and surpassed themselves until they won the Winter Olympics.

At the Winter Olympics, dreams are realized like "walking a tightrope"

In Pyeongchang, South Korea, 2018, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong, who participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time, ranked second with a narrow gap of 0.43 points and missed the gold medal. This regret inspired them to continue to perform better at the Beijing Winter Olympics: the team stage on February 4, setting a world record of 82.83 points for short program scores; on February 18, the double skating field raised the short program score to 84.41 points, and after the free skating on the 19th, they won a world record of 239.88 points and a gold medal in the Winter Olympics.

So far, the duo has won the championship in five world figure skating competitions, including the World Youth Championships, the Grand Prix Finals, the World Championships, the Four Continents Championships, and the Winter Olympics.

On April 9, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong shared their partner's 15-year journey in Beijing. Looking back at the Beijing Winter Olympics, they frankly said that they realized their dreams like "walking a tightrope". In order to make a difficult twist around, in the last few months before the start of the game, Sui Wenjing strictly controlled her weight while constantly increasing the amount of training. "In retrospect, it was tough but meaningful." She said, "After hard work to achieve the dream, it is a good memory that will be unforgettable for a lifetime." ”

According to the schedule, the figure skating pair skating event was arranged in the second half of the Beijing Winter Olympics, waiting for every day to play, for the two, both expected and nervous. In the end, they perfectly performed two sets of programs and realized the golden dream of the Winter Olympics. "From the moment we become athletes, it is our desire to win glory for our country. Thanks to the Winter Olympics, we have the opportunity to win the championship and realize our dreams. Sui Wenjing said.

At the summary and commendation meeting of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games held on April 8, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong were awarded the title of "Outstanding Contribution Individuals". Talking about the spirit of the Beijing Winter Olympics of "bearing the overall situation, being confident and open, facing difficulties, pursuing excellence and creating a better future", the two were quite touched. Sui Wenjing said that no matter how many difficulties they encounter in training and life, the two have the same goal and firm belief. Han Cong said that the two have struggled together for 15 years, gone through ups and downs, and the experience of growing up is the process of facing difficulties, "We have experienced lows, but also left regrets, and finally realized the dream at the Beijing Winter Olympics, such a life trajectory is quite in line with the spirit of the Beijing Winter Olympics." ”

Partner for 15 years, grow together and support each other

At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing/Han Cong's free skating repertoire chose "Golden Bridge on the River of Sorrows", which they chose when they won the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki. This "one bridge" is also a true portrayal of the growth and support of each other in the 15-year process of partners. "Over the years, in the face of injuries and difficulties, we have been each other's bridges and given each other strength." Han Cong said.

Both have left the game due to injuries since they were promoted to the senior division in 2010, which was also a difficult time in the duo's sports career.

In 2016, Sui Wenjing underwent ligament surgery on her foot, which was followed by a long recovery period. The question of "I don't know if I can skate in the future" made her mood bottom. While insisting on single-person training, Han Cong enlightened and waited for his partner, and the dormitory-hospital-training hall became the route he was most familiar with at that time. "When Sui Wenjing came back, we went to ice training for the first time. The doctor explained that we could only practice for 10 minutes, and we accidentally practiced for 15 minutes. Although it was only 5 minutes longer, I was very happy at the time. Han Cong said.

In 2020, Han Cong had hip surgery, and Sui Wenjing was also patiently waiting for him to return to the ice rink. For more than 10 years, they have fought side by side, spanning pain and supporting each other. From the young fame of the 2010 World Youth Championships, to the slight regrets of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, from the re-winning of the 2019 Saitama World Championships, to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics finally realizing the dream... Years of persistence have yielded great gains. Han Cong said that he has made many good friends and coaches in the past 15 years, "even if there are regrets, they are all part of good memories." Compared with the lively and cheerful partner, Han Cong is slightly shy: "The difference in personality between the two of us brings different perspectives, inspiring each other and making up for each other, and the difference is one of the factors of our mutual achievement." ”

After the Winter Olympics, "together with Chinese sports to the future"

After the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong ushered in a rare rest period, and the two put things that they were interested in but did not have time to do on their respective schedules.

Recently, Sui Wenjing often communicates with young athletes such as Su Yiming and Gu Ailing, and the vitality they show brings her a lot of inspiration, "They have a drive and love to try, so that we can see more possibilities in life." She once saw some contestants using the gap between competitions to take online lessons, which was quite touching: "We must grasp these fragments of time and try to learn as much as possible." Sui Wenjing also began to learn English, calligraphy, vocal music, speech and other courses, and also set a plan to take 12 online classes a week.

When it comes to future career goals, Sui Wenjing still locks in her love of figure skating, and she looks forward to becoming an excellent choreographer, "Now learning is paving the way for the future, and it also makes me have a different understanding of my career." ”

Han Cong frankly said that winning the Winter Olympics is like completing a stage goal of life, and then transitioning to the next stage of life, full of yearning for the future. After the Beijing Winter Olympics, he and Sui Wenjing actively participated in a series of activities to promote ice and snow sports, "on the one hand, I hope that everyone can see the other side of athletes; on the other hand, I want to attract more people to participate in figure skating and pay attention to ice and snow sports." Han Cong said.

"As a sports person, inheriting and carrying forward the Olympic spirit, we still need to explore step by step." Han Cong said that he should learn from his predecessors, learn from young people, and do his best to "go to the future together" with Chinese sports.

People's Daily ( 2022.04.15 15th edition)