(Beijing Winter Olympics) Why did Bach "praise" the Chinese skier?
China News Agency, Beijing, February 8th: Why did Bach "recognize" the Chinese skier?
China News Agency reporter Guo Chaokai
Chinese alpine skier Xu Mingfu received a special gift on the 7th - a limited edition Olympic commemorative watch signed by IOC President Bach.
"The first reaction was a bit confusing. Chairman Bach was very happy to see me." Xu Mingfu recalled on the 8th, when he had just finished participating in the men's downhill competition in alpine skiing and was lowering his head to untie his snowshoes at the end of the race.
Bach crept up to him, presented him with the watch, elbowed him and wished him good luck.
Receiving this unexpected joy, he said, "I am very happy, and it has not been a waste of all these years of hard work."
The picture shows Xu Mingfu.
Photo by Guo Chaokai
Compared with star athletes such as Gu Ailing and Wu Dajing, Xu Mingfu is an unfamiliar name to most sports fans.
Why was this young skier from Tonghua, Jilin Province awarded by Bach?
In fact, this is not the first time Bach has given gifts to Chinese players.
During the Tokyo Olympics last year, Bach went to the table tennis arena to cheer on the Chinese team and gave the "little devil" Sun Yingsha a commemorative Olympic watch.
Afterwards, Bach made a special trip to the seat of the Chinese canoe team at the Tokyo Sea Forest Aquatic Arena to congratulate Zheng Pengfei/Liu Hao, who had just won the Olympic silver medal, and presented them with commemorative watches to show encouragement.
In the eyes of the outside world, these Chinese players who received gifts are either from China's dominant dominant projects; or from projects that have made major breakthroughs in China.
The successful completion of Xu Mingfu's downhill race is a historic breakthrough in China's alpine skiing.
As "the jewel in the crown of the Winter Olympics", alpine skiing shows the charm of skiing in the exquisite combination of speed and skill.
But before Beijing's successful bid to host the Winter Olympics, China's alpine skiing was far behind the world's leading level.
In the past, the Chinese delegation could only rely on the men and women assigned by the International Snow Federation to participate in 2 to 3 technical competitions, and the competition results were lower.
In order to participate in the whole project, Xu Mingfu and his teammate Zhang Yangming, who originally focused on the alpine skiing technology project, put the two speed events of downhill and super giant slalom into the focus of the preparation.
In this "home door" operation, the Chinese alpine ski team won 4 places and qualified for all 11 events, achieving a historic breakthrough in participating in the entire project.
For Xu Mingfu, who participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time, participating is a breakthrough, and if he can finish the game, he will be a victory.
However, in the face of "Xue Feiyan", a track with a total length of about 3 kilometers and a vertical drop of 893 meters, top alpine skiers did not dare to be careless. In the men's downhill competition on the 7th, many players failed to finish the race due to mistakes. .
Before Xu Mingfu's appearance, Zhang Yangming regretted not finishing the game because he missed the flag gate, but fortunately, the teenager withstood the pressure.
Speeding down from the starting point at an altitude of 2197 meters, sliding, jumping, cornering, sprinting... When Xu Mingfu crossed the finish line, the time was fixed at 1 minute 56 seconds 93.
The 36th place was not very good, but there were still warm cheers and applause from the crowd, because Xu Mingfu's move filled the gap of the Chinese Winter Olympic Corps in this event.
This is the first time that Chinese athletes have completed the men's downhill competition at the Winter Olympics, and it is also the first time that Chinese athletes have stood on the track of the Winter Olympics alpine skiing competition.
Behind Bach's "recognition" of Xu Mingfu is the affirmation and praise for the historic breakthrough of Chinese alpine skiing.
The successful completion of Xu Mingfu is also a vivid epitome of the development and growth of the Chinese Ice and Snow Corps. 131 Chinese athletes in this Winter Olympics will make their Winter Olympics debut.
Witnessed by the world, the new forces of the Chinese Ice and Snow Corps have taken the first step in their journey to the Winter Olympics, and are continuing to move forward with full force.
As Xu Mingfu said, "We have taken the first step, and the future will get better and better." If the Chinese are willing to try, if they are on the same starting line, they will not lose to anyone.
(Finish)