China News Service, Jilin, November 6 (Reporter Cang Yan Shi Hongyu) Facing the upcoming ski season, 83-year-old Han Tongyuan is already ready-the snowboard has been waxed, he bought pre-sale tickets, and discussed with his partners Well, "group" details.

He also increased the intensity of roller skating training to maintain a vigorous exercise state, "I have to skate every morning every day."

　　Han Tongyuan grew up at the foot of Beishan Mountain in Jilin City, Jilin Province. As the champion of New China's first national skiing competition, he has been riding on the ski slopes for more than half a century.

Photo courtesy of Han Dongwon when he was young

　　Because of its unique ice and snow resources, Jilin City has cultivated a number of world champions such as Li Jianrou, Wu Dajing, Han Yutong, Zang Ruxin and so on.

The local Olympic spirit and ice and snow champion genes can be traced back to Han Tongyuan, who has been in the country for more than 60 years.

　　In 1957, China hosted the first skiing game. The 18-year-old Han Tongyuan defeated many domestic masters and won the men's 20-kilometer cross-country skiing championship.

In the national competition the following year, he won again.

The black-and-white photos taken at that time recorded the highlight moments of this old man when he was young.

　　"I like mountain, cross-country, and platform jumping events. I want to do better than my opponents." Han Tongyuan said that being faster and stronger is always his goal.

　　In fact, Han Tongyuan's relationship with Bingxue was extremely accidental.

At that time, when raising sheep at home in the winter, he took advantage of the gap to make simple wooden skis, which was "easy to race with the sheep."

In order to gather the sheep and let the sheep walk on a fixed route, he has honed his superb skills, and the sheep-herding baby has grown into a ski master.

Han Tongyuan (first from right) and his brothers and sisters love skiing Photo courtesy of Han Tongyuan

　　At that time, equipment and training conditions were very limited, but Han Tongyuan could still appreciate the joy of sports.

"Improve snowboard in spring, ski in summer, and play in the first half of the year in winter." Later, Jilin formed an ice and snow sports team. Han Tongyuan was not only a "seed player" on the field, but also a coach of the women's ski team.

　　Unfortunately, Han Tongyuan’s dream of ice and snow failed to continue due to various factors. In 1963, he left the sports team and switched to a state-owned enterprise to become a bulldozer driver.

"It's a pity that I haven't participated in international competitions." Han Tongyuan said, that is his biggest regret as an athlete.

　　In 1980, the Chinese sports delegation went to the Winter Olympics for the first time, and Han Tongyuan watched the broadcast through various channels.

At that time, the Winter Olympics sparked an upsurge of ice and snow sports.

Later, when Han Tongyuan was watching a skiing game in Heilongjiang, he met an old colleague. At the invitation of the other party, he returned to the ice and snow project again and became a professional ski instructor at a sports school in Fengman District, Jilin City.

There, he worked for another three years.

Photo courtesy of Han Tongyuan in the game

　　For Han Tongyuan, athletes and coaches always have the moment to say goodbye to the ice and snow team, but his ice and snow dreams are always there, "Never leave."

Except for a leg injury last year, he has never missed any winter where he can ski.

　　Every winter, Han Tongyuan brings ski equipment to many ski resorts in Jilin City.

At the Beidahu Snow Resort in Jilin, Han Tongyuan, who is over 80 years old, can still conquer the high-level snow trails there.

Taking off the windshield and equipment, "hardcore enthusiasts" from all over the world will discover that this is an old man.

In other seasons, he is the "roller skating net red" on the slopes of the local park and guides the children who ask him for advice.

　　Han Tongyuan said that the development of the times is still too fast. His skis have changed from wood, metal, and aluminum alloy to composite materials, with "a stable center of gravity and no deformation."

　　The Beijing Winter Olympics in front of them made the elderly very excited.

"I hope to be able to watch it live." Han Tongyuan said. Only at the scene can we see the technical characteristics of players from all over the world more closely.

Over half a century, his dream of ice and snow has never changed.

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