The opening of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is imminent, and the policy of naturalized ice hockey players has begun to be implemented in China, and a large number of top talents of Chinese descent in ice hockey have returned to the embrace of the motherland and prepared for the first Winter Olympic Games held by China.
In addition to pure Chinese players such as Situ Yongen, Liu Jie and Yuan Junjie, Chinese and foreign mixed-race players such as Shen Jialei, Nichols, Ye Jinguang, Luo Jia, Jian Guohui, Jian'an, Haiyun and Zheng Enlai are even more eye-catching. Among them, Zheng Enlai has attracted much attention because of his glorious family background.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > fledgling and showing its edge</h1>
Zheng Enlai was born in Canada on March 5, 1997. His mother is a Chinese, his father is German, and the family lives in Canada. Every summer, he would come to Beijing to spend some time with his grandmother and grandfather, so he could speak Fluent Chinese.
Zheng Enlai's original name was Ty Schultz, and the earliest Chinese name was Zheng Tai. However, because his birthdays with Premier Zhou were both March 5, his grandmother Zheng Fengrong admired Mr. Prime Minister so much that she changed his name to "Zheng Enlai".
On the ice hockey rink, Zheng Enlai also has a more resounding name, which is also given to him by his grandmother, that is, "little tiger". Like most Canadian-born boys, Zheng Enlai went to ice at the age of 3 and played at the age of 5. In order to follow the path of professional athletes, he rejected an offer from Harvard University after graduating from high school.
Zheng Enlai's mother said: "Canadian children play ball almost all year round, children play on the field, parents wait in the stands, communicate, especially friendly with each other, in such an environment everyone is equal, no one will discriminate against anyone." For Chinese people, watching ice hockey games and practicing ice hockey with their children has also become a way to understand Canadian culture and integrate into local society. ”
It was in the educational environment of the ice hockey atmosphere that in 2012, Zheng Enlai was selected by the Madison Hat Tigers in the Pantam age group (13-14 years old) in the Buntam age group (13-14 years old) belonging to the Western Canadian Youth Hockey League (WHL). The coach of the team gave Enlai a Chinese nickname called "Great Wall".
In the same year, 15-year-old Zheng Enlai was selected for the "42 All Canadian Potential Stars", and many of the people in the list with him have become the rookies of the North American Professional Hockey League (NHL).
Zheng Enlai, who is 1.97 meters old, plays a defender on the pitch, and the ball is agile and fierce. As a mixed Chinese-German, his physical fitness has a great advantage over players of the same age. In addition to his physical fitness and physical fitness, his performance on the offensive end is also amazing. As a defender, he contributed an impressive 0.48 goals per game to the Tigers in the 2016 season.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > the heart of a child, shining brightly</h1>
"I have Chinese ancestry, I speak Chinese, I want to go back to China to play, why can't I represent China in the Winter Olympics?" Zheng Enlai had asked this more than once in his heart. In May 2017, Zheng Enlai followed his mother back to Beijing to participate in the launching ceremony of the 60th anniversary of his grandmother Zheng Fengrong's first world record-breaking.
Zheng Fengrong called the event "the inheritance of champions", and let his grandson sit by his side throughout the whole process, introducing Zheng Enlai with more than half of the space. At this time, Zheng Enlai has secretly made up his mind that he wants to return to his hometown, continue his beloved ice hockey career, and continue his ice hockey dream.
In June 2017, the Chinese Ice Hockey Association announced the list of overseas selection and training, and the name of mixed-race player Zheng Enlai was prominently listed. At that time, he had just turned 20 years old, and like countless young people of the same age, his eyes were full of pride and fierce light. His efforts and experience in the WHL are about to be tested, and he knows that he has a good chance of becoming the pride of the Chinese men's ice hockey team.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > phoenix nirvana, smelted into steel</h1>
Fate always seems to love to joke with people who are naturally diligent and powerful. In the same year, while attending WHL's training camp, Enlai injured his abdomen and thighs in a fierce confrontation and caused a tear in his crotch. The injury was nothing short of a thunderbolt on a sunny day, directly interrupting his career as a professional player in Canada. Eight months after surgery, he experienced the longest hibernation of his career.
Doctors advised him that he would not have to have surgery if he stopped playing hockey in the short term. But zheng Enlai, who was eager to return to China to play, represented China in the Winter Olympics, resolutely decided to undergo surgery. "Looking at the knife edge after the operation, and now waiting every day with injuries to watch the Winter Olympics ice hockey game, especially the Appearance of the Korean Men's Ice Hockey, as a mother, I am both proud and sad for him." Zheng Enlai's mother said.
Finally, with the gritty qualities of never giving up and the confidence of a teenager, he gradually improved and returned to the ice hockey rink that he had long missed. After completing the nationality conversion and being successfully naturalized, Zheng Enlai, who officially became a naturalized player, returned to the Chinese arena. He joined Beijing Kunlun Hongxing Club and played for the team with a group of naturalized Chinese players and local teammates.
Due to injury, he played for the second team, but still played well against the first team on June 2, 2019, and successfully assisted Ying rudi to break the goal. At the National Ice Hockey Championship, Beijing Kunlun Hongxing ushered in a key battle with Qiqihar, and although Enlai still sat on the bench due to injury and failed to play, he knew that the time for him to return to glory was coming.
On the evening of August 7, 2019, the Aozhong Ice Sports Center in Chaoyang District, Beijing, ushered in the final of the China Ice Hockey League. As usual, the 82-year-old grandmother Zheng Fengrong and his wife came to the stadium early, ready to cheer for their grandson, and from time to time made some tactical gestures on the court. In this game, Zheng Enlai, who has left the official arena for a long time, finally returned to the starting lineup. However, the game lost suspense as early as the second quarter, and kunlun Hongxing lost 1-6 to Arizona State University.
Although the big score was lost, Enlai's performance was remarkable. After the game, Zheng Fengrong pulled his grandson to his side and asked him about his physical condition: "To tell the truth, I was worried about his injury, he hadn't played in two years. You know hockey players don't play for two years, it's hard to survive. "Before each game, Enlai would arrive earlier than his teammates and he would spend an hour warming up before others.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > the future can be expected and will eventually shine</h1>
In fact, in recent years, there have been many criticisms about Enlai. But neither Zheng Fengrong, who has won the world record, nor the identity of a Chinese-German mixed naturalized player, has not become a shackle that shackles his growth. Instead, he will work harder because of these off-field factors and stereotypes.
Not only him, but also his teammates Ying Rudi, Situ Yongen and Yuan Junjie. This generation of young people shouldering the future of Chinese ice hockey is getting better and better. We also hope that the Chinese ice hockey team can achieve better results in the future. Come on, Jeong Eun Lai! Take off, our hockey boys!