Seek stability, or challenge your own limits?
These world famous generals choose this way
Our reporter Qu Xinyue
In today's Beijing Winter Olympics figure skating men's single skating competition, apart from the ownership of the gold medal, the most eye-catching thing is whether the two-time Winter Olympic champion and Japanese player Yuzuru Hanyu can successfully challenge no one in the official competition. Completed 4A in (Axel 4-week jump).
In the end, Yuzuru Hanyu failed the challenge due to failing to stand still when falling on the ice and ended his third Winter Olympics trip with a fourth place in the men's single skating.
How hard is 4A?
American player Chen Wei, who won the gold medal in men's single skating at this Winter Olympics, even though he added five quads to the whole set of movements, he still said that 4A is not yet within his ability.
Among the currently known quadruple jumps of the 6 basic jumping movements of figure skating, 4A is the only one that has not been captured by any competitor in the official competition.
In Hanyu's own words, the move requires "just like a long jumper, jumping out 6 meters after taking off and turning four and a half laps in the process".
Yuzuru Hanyu's challenge this time is the first time 4A has appeared in the Winter Olympics.
It can be said that even if Hanyu failed to complete this action successfully, the courage and belief of the two-time Winter Olympic champion and figure skating legend to challenge himself were enough for him to win applause from the audience.
Inspired by the Olympic motto "higher, faster, stronger, more united", in the Winter Olympics, a competitive arena with the highest level of ice and snow sports, there will always be athletes constantly trying to break through their own limits.
On the one hand, challenging the limit means that you may get better results in the competition.
In the freestyle skiing women's platform final, the contest between Chinese player Gu Ailing and French player Tess Luder was actually a competition of technical difficulty.
"I am very grateful to her, it was Tess who jumped out of the women's hardest move in the first round of the competition, that inspired me to challenge the more difficult move and successfully complete it." With the super difficult move "Yawed to the left Gu Ailing, who won the championship in "Ti 1620", paid tribute to her opponent after the game.
But on the other hand, in addition to the consideration of performance, for high-level athletes, being able to complete extremely difficult movements in major competitions is the realization of self-worth, which can give athletes a greater sense of accomplishment.
In a major international event like the Winter Olympics, which occurs once every four years, all athletes are eager to win medals or even gold medals, but they also face enormous psychological pressure.
Is it for stability, or is it a risky move?
This is a decision an athlete has to make in the game.
"If I didn't do 4A, I could have done a better jump combination. But being able to try 4A at the Winter Olympics is something I'm proud of. It makes me more complete. That's why I chose to do it." Hanyu explained after the game.
As a two-time Winter Olympic champion, Yuzuru Hanyu, who has many honors, said after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics: "Conquering 4A is my only motivation for the next."
Four years later, he chose to try bravely on the ice rink of the Beijing Capital Gymnasium - even if this challenge to 4A was unsuccessful, making him miss the three consecutive Winter Olympics championships and even the podium.
Over the years, Chinese players Jin Boyang and Yuzuru Hanyu have competed on the same field many times.
"Hanyu chose to play in his third Winter Olympics at the age of 27 and try 4A. It's an extraordinary achievement that no one has been able to achieve yet. It embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and the spirit of the Olympics. Hanyu has participated in three Olympics , I hope I can do it too." Jin Boyang commented.
Of course, challenging ultra-difficult moves is not the only weight for high-level athletes to win.
In this Winter Olympics, American snowboard legend Sean White competed in the Winter Olympics for the fifth time and successfully advanced to the final of the snowboard U-shaped field.
The veteran of the five dynasties of the Winter Olympics is one of the most influential figures in the world's ice and snow sports and extreme sports. In the previous four Winter Olympics, he has won three gold medals in this event.
After qualifying, Sean White said in an interview that it is good for athletes to have difficult skills, but it is not enough.
"You need a whole set of cards to form a good hand, not just one card." (Beijing, February 10th)