Accelerating, surpassing, and crossing the line, Ren Ziwei won two gold medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics and became the most dazzling star in the short track speed skating arena.
From Pyeongchang to Beijing, China's short track speed skating has been striving to be the first in the world, and has achieved a new historical breakthrough in the Beijing Winter Olympics.
In the past four years, the speeding "elephant" has gradually grown into the leader of the team. Absolute main force.
In the face of the huge attention, he said that he just wanted to be a "little transparent".
Beneath the cheerful appearance of the Northeast boy is the hard work and hardships he has made in the past 4 years.
A few days ago, Sino-Singapore Sports and Ren Ziwei started a dialogue and talked about the stories behind the two Winter Olympic gold medals.
honor and regret
China-Singapore Sports: What is your current state and what are you doing during the quarantine period?
Ren Ziwei: We are in quarantine now, and it may take 21 days. I have been reflecting on my game the other day.
I am satisfied with the medals alone in the Winter Olympics, but I am somewhat dissatisfied and regretful during the process.
There are some low-level mistakes in the 1500-meter race, and the 500-meter race is also relatively long, resulting in physical exhaustion.
China-Singapore Sports: You have stood on the top podium twice in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Will your mood be different?
Ren Ziwei: Mixing is the first item. After winning the gold medal, I didn't react a bit, and there are still many games to come. I don't want to get too excited and want to complete the follow-up games in the best state.
I won the 1000m gold medal on the third day, and I have a lot of ideas. The follow-up competition is not to compare without distractions, which is worth summarizing.
China-Singapore Sports: What does the Beijing Winter Olympics mean to you?
Ren Ziwei: I don’t think this Olympics is quite the same as I imagined. Because of the epidemic, there are not as many audiences as in Pyeongchang.
I felt the same as the World Cup, not particularly excited, nor too much pressure.
China-Singapore Sports: In the men's 5,000-meter relay semi-final, your teammate fell unexpectedly. After you received the baton, you chased after him. Is this the spirit of short track speed skating?
Ren Ziwei: Yes, our project is full of variables. If there are mistakes, I think we need to make up for it as soon as possible to narrow the gap.
We must fight to the end. This is the spirit of the Chinese short track speed skating team.
Chinese player Ren Ziwei celebrates after winning the men's 1000m short track speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Mao Jianjun
China-Singapore Sports: Wu Dajing touched you in the men's 1000m final and told you to go first. What do you think of this move?
Ren Ziwei: The three of us entered the final and we must work together to win the gold medal.
Brother Jing's physical strength was particularly good in the first shot, but he might not be able to complete such a high-intensity match in the second shot, so he used all his strength to consume his opponent.
I think it's a spirit, (representing) our whole men's team as one.
Zhongxin Sports: What do you think of the performance of the young short-track speed skating athletes at the Winter Olympics? What are the expectations for them?
Ren Ziwei: I think this is a valuable experience. Young athletes have both good and bad points, and they can all gain experience.
In the next 4 years, they should summarize these mistakes and mature, I hope they can make a qualitative leap.
Pyeongchang and Beijing
China-Singapore Sports: From Pyeongchang to Beijing, you have been called the biggest surprise in short track speed skating in China in the past four years. What do you think of yourself in these 4 years?
Ren Ziwei: I think the past 4 years have been extremely difficult, with many changes, and the epidemic has been closed all the time.
Physical fatigue can be overcome, fatigue is normal, but I think the biggest difficulty in the past 4 years is psychological fatigue.
Before the Winter Olympics, I thought about the worst - not going for the next 4 years.
But after I really stood on the field, thinking that the country has created such good conditions for me and everyone, I feel that if I can practice for a day, I have to give a day for the country.
China's Ren Ziwei won the men's 1000m short track speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Mao Jianjun
China-Singapore Sports: In the past 4 years, what has been your biggest change?
Ren Ziwei: The biggest change is psychological maturity. When I was in Pyeongchang, I was very good, but my mentality was a floating state.
In the Beijing Winter Olympics, my physical condition was not that good, but I could use my opponent's mistakes or my own experience to control the game.
China-Singapore Sports: Your mother mentioned in the letter to you that you were too tired to get up in the corridor during training. How did you persevere over the years? What role did family members and friends play?
Ren Ziwei:
It is the dream of all athletes to participate in the Olympic Games at home. This is my biggest motivation.
In the past 4 years, I wanted to give up countless times. My family and friends around me gave me a lot of encouragement. My best friends skated from the amateur team to the Harbin team with me, and two of them went to the national team with me, but they both Already retired, I am "the hope of the whole village".
Family and friends give me encouragement and take pride in me, and I don't want to disappoint them.
China-Singapore Sports: What did the foreign teacher team bring to the Chinese short track speed skating team?
Ren Ziwei: I think Coach Ahn (An Xianzhu) and Teacher Kim (Kim Suntai) have brought some things that were missing before, which greatly improved the team's skills and tactics.
In the last Winter Olympics, my left leg was closed for comparison. In the next few years, my left leg was a little bit weak. When they found this problem, they asked me to strengthen my left leg and train my muscles to protect my knee. Now it is much better. Glide normally.
Jin Shantai (middle), head coach of the Chinese short track speed skating team.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
China-Singapore Sports: Some time ago, you and Lin Xiaoxun posted on Weibo each other. Are you already familiar with each other?
Ren Ziwei: When he came, I didn't pay much attention to it. I felt it had nothing to do with me.
The follow-up communication found that he is a very good person and a very interesting person. He often jokes with us. He is never angry and has a very good temper.
He has been in China for a long time, and he may come to him for a meal or play after the holiday.
China-Singapore Sports: Did the Chinese team study the new rules of the International Skating Federation in detail during the Beijing Winter Olympics cycle, so they avoided some unexpected situations?
Ren Ziwei: Yes, the International Skating Federation has refined all the rules, and now there are more and more cameras, and every foul has an explanation.
During the period, I arranged for everyone to learn many times.
My understanding of the rules now is that after I end the game, I know whether I have fouled with others or not.
elephant and elephant
China-Singapore Sports: Was the nickname "Elephant" given to you by Coach Li Yan?
Ren Ziwei: (laughs) Yes, when I first came to the national team, the skating might be a little cumbersome. Coach Li Yan took it for me, and everyone called it later.
Now my physique is also bigger and there are more young players, so everyone calls me Brother Xiang.
Ren Ziwei is in the game.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
China-Singapore Sports: Is it difficult to go home often in recent years, especially after the epidemic?
Ren Ziwei: I haven't been home for Chinese New Year for 8 years.
Basically, there are competitions every New Year 's Day.
One year was the worst. We flew from the Netherlands to Germany. The flight was cancelled on New Year's Eve, and we slept overnight at the airport.
Basically not in the game or on the way to the game to celebrate the New Year.
Zhongxin Sports: Did you feel very uncomfortable at that time?
Ren Ziwei: It's been good these years. There is no concept of festivals anymore. All festivals have nothing to do with me.
But when I first came to the national team,
I left home for the first time to celebrate the New Year, when I was only seventeen or eighteen years old.
During the Chinese New Year in Beijing, there was no one on the street. I felt very desolate when I walked on the street.
Zhongxin Sports: You said before that you would like to be a "little transparent" in the team. What kind of mentality is this?
Ren Ziwei: I don't really like to be noticed, but since I have achieved this result, I still have to adapt and take these as motivation, not as a burden.
I need to set a new goal for myself, one of my biggest dreams has been completed, maybe my mind will relax.
I had a chat with coach Ahn Hyun-soo before, and he said that if you lose your goal, you will lose some effort.
I think that maybe the goal of the next Winter Olympics can be set to hit Brother An's three gold medals. This should be a question that I am slowly thinking about.
China's Ren Ziwei won the men's 1000m short track speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Mao Jianjun
China-Singapore Sports: Judging from this Winter Olympics, Italy, Canada, Hungary and other countries have all begun to rise. What do you think of the development pattern of short track speed skating in the future?
Ren Ziwei: We no longer have any advantages, including the World Cup, which is particularly difficult. There is no project to have a huge advantage.
The predecessors brought glory, and now it is to return to the state of peak climbing.
I hope young athletes don't place themselves too high, they should study with an open mind and train hard.
China-Singapore Sports: Is the atmosphere in the short track speed skating team very happy?
Ren Ziwei: Our men's team is in the lounge every day, often chatting and wrangling, which is really funny.
For example, An Kai is very stubborn. Before I changed my shoes, Brother Jing (Wu Dajing) and An Kai were sitting next to each other on my left. An Kai had to be stubborn in everything. Just looking at Le.
Zhongxin Sports: What role do you hope you will play in the team in the next Winter Olympics cycle?
Ren Ziwei: Maybe I will take the lead. I need to maintain my physical and mental state, and then I have to control injuries.
If I am going to participate in the Olympics, I want to show my best performance to everyone.
(Author Wang Hao Xing Chong Xu Pengpeng)