The picture shows Zhao Dan.
Photo courtesy of Hohhot Municipal Government
China News Service, Beijing, February 13 (Liu Xingchen) "I was a little confused when I learned that I was a flag bearer." Zhao Dan's words are very true.
For a young man less than 20 years old, to be the flag bearer of the opening ceremony of the Chinese delegation on his first trip to the Winter Olympics, the weight of this honor can be imagined.
In the first and second rounds of the women's steel frame snowmobile at the Beijing Winter Olympics held on the 11th, the "post-00" teenager Zhao Dan temporarily ranked fourth with two rounds of 2:04.66.
Facing everyone's attention, Zhao Dan wanted to focus more on the game.
On the evening of the 12th, the fourth round of the women's steel frame snowmobile at the Beijing Winter Olympics came to an end, and Zhao Dan finally ranked 9th with a score of 4:09.52.
This Winter Olympics is the first time that the Chinese women's steel frame bobsleigh has appeared in the Winter Olympics.
With perseverance and maturity beyond his peers, Zhao Dan has won a lot of praise for the Chinese team's debut.
The picture shows Zhao Dan.
Photo courtesy of Hohhot Municipal Government
From Athletics to Skeletons
childhood experience
Due to the late start of steel sleds in China, many players "cross-border" from other projects, Zhao Dan is one of them.
In 2002, Zhao Dan was born in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, and showed his talent in sports since he was a child.
In 2016, Zhao Dan, who was less than 14 years old, entered Hohhot Experimental Middle School through sports selection, and was selected as the head coach of the track and field team for the triple jump.
Running, arm swing, long jump, these basic movements, Zhao Dan repeats thousands of times a day.
"She is tall and has amazing explosiveness, and I fell in love with her at first sight. She started training with me in 2016, and later changed to long jump and triple jump." This is what Zhao Dan's enlightenment coach Zhang Xin said to her. first impression.
Known in track and field
Diligent training allowed Zhao Dan to start making small achievements in the track and field.
In August 2018, Zhao Dan represented Hohhot in the 14th Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Games and won two gold medals.
It was this competition that made more professionals pay attention to this explosive girl.
In September, the Chinese steel frame snow team selected materials across borders and items, and the coach of the training team threw an olive branch to Zhao Dan.
Start a steel frame sled tour
At that time, "steel sled" was still a relatively unfamiliar term in China.
A difficult problem was placed in front of Zhao Dan and his family: should we continue to cultivate the track and field events that have already achieved results, or should we find another way in the relatively unpopular steel frame snowmobile project?
Zhao Dan also hesitated, after all, this is a completely unfamiliar field for her.
However, the coach in charge of the selection of the Chinese steel frame snow team recognized Zhao Dan's physical fitness very much, and insisted that she was a rare good seedling to practice steel frame snow bikes.
This kind of persistence moved Zhao Dan and her family.
"At that time, Zhao Dan asked us for advice, and we consulted with people in the industry. This project was not dangerous as we imagined, so we agreed." Zhao Dan's father recalled this.
After communicating again and again, Zhao Dan decided to try the steel frame snowmobile training team.
"My weight and age don't actually meet the selection criteria for the national team, so the mentality at that time was that it would be good to go out and meet the world." Zhao Dan's experience in participating in the selection competition was quite dramatic.
As a result, in that game, Zhao Dan ranked first in the comprehensive test items and entered the national team by exception.
In this way, the trajectory of her life changed completely.
The picture shows Chinese player Zhao Dan in the game.
Photo by China News Agency reporter He Penglei
2018
When 17-year-old Zhao Dan came to the National Women's Steel Frame Snow Team, he was the youngest athlete in the team.
Facing the unknown field, if Zhao Dan wants to gain a firm foothold in the team, he needs more effort than others.
With the help of the coaching team, Zhao Dan overcomes difficulties such as psychological fear and unfamiliar environment.
Slowly, she found that she fell in love with this "brave's sport".
Snowmobile gene in the bones
2019-2020
It seems that he was born with snowmobile genes in his bones. After completing the "cross-border", Zhao Dan quickly began to realize his talent.
The speed of its progress is astonishing.
In the 2019 Youth Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Zhao Dan defeated a strong Canadian player and won the first place in the two Youth Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
On January 20, 2020, the women's steel frame snowmobile competition at the Winter Youth Olympic Games was held at the St. Moritz ski resort in Switzerland. Facing many experienced players, Zhao Dan won the seventh place.
The foreign teachers of the China Steel Frame Snow Team are very satisfied with Zhao Dan's debut in the competition.
2021
On December 3, in the Intercontinental Cup of Steel Frame Snowmobiles in Innsbruck, Austria, Zhao Dan ran 54.07 seconds in the first round, and 54.18 seconds in the second round, ranking first, and finally finished with 54.07 seconds in the second round. The total score of 1:48.25 won the championship.
This year is a sprint year to prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Zhao Dan has participated in 5 World Cups and 2 Intercontinental Cups, and the intensive schedule has allowed her to grow rapidly.
"No matter who the opponent is, I only compare with myself!" In the words, Zhao Dan showed maturity that did not match his age, and this was her advantage.
The picture shows Chinese player Zhao Dan in the game.
Photo by China News Agency reporter He Penglei
Welcome
to the Winter Olympics debut
2022
In the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Steel Frame Snowmobile National Team Trials held earlier, Zhao Dan won the first place in four skiing in two competitions, and finally won the Winter Olympics ticket with the first total score. .
The 19-year-old is on his first trip to the Winter Olympics.
As the flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Chinese delegation, it was a surprise.
When she walked into the National Stadium with the national flag in hand, relatives far away from home were waiting in front of the TV.
"My child trained hard on the bobsleigh and achieved good results. I am very happy that she can represent the country in the Winter Olympics. I am very excited when I watch my granddaughter who has become a flag bearer on TV. "Zhao Dan's grandfather choked a little.
The picture shows Zhao Dan in the game.
Photo by China News Agency reporter He Penglei
February 11, 2022
On February 11, the two rounds of competition for the women's steel frame snowmobile at the National Snowmobile Center "Snow Dragon" at the Beijing Winter Olympics ended. Chinese athlete Zhao Dan ranked fourth with a total score of 2:04.66 in the two rounds.
"The competition in the Winter Olympics has some pressure for me, it is relatively nervous, and it is the kind of inner tension." Zhao Dan's remarks for a teenager who was on the stage of the Winter Olympics for the first time Possibly the truest monologue of the heart.
But even so, she still showed a strong ability to adjust.
"I didn't feel very good after the first round of skating. When I looked at the results, I couldn't believe that I was third. After two rounds, I ranked fourth. I have a bottom line. I believe there is room for improvement in the next two rounds."
February 12, 2022
On the evening of the 12th, the fourth round of the women's steel frame snowmobile at the Beijing Winter Olympics ended, and Zhao Dan finally ranked ninth.
At the age of 19, Zhao Dan gained a lot from his first trip to the Winter Olympics.
For her, the future has infinite possibilities.
The story of Zhao Dan and the steel sled has just begun.
(Finish)