He is the "skating" messenger of China's short track, and helped his teammates stand on the top podium at the Beijing Winter Olympics;
He, known by netizens as "the youngest son of the whole people", appeared in the arena because of his cute and cute image;
Wang Meng, the "Four Gold Kings" of the Winter Olympics, praised him for being "too strong in execution." The enlightenment coach said that the Olympic silver medal was not his "ceiling". In the eyes of his parents, he was already a "hero" to be proud of.
He is the teenager Li Wenlong.
In the "King's Teacher" Chinese short-track speed skating team, Li Wenlong endured the injury and did not want to talk to his parents, and never thought of stepping back.
In his body, "talent and hard work" are equally important. Thanks to the guidance of famous coaches such as Jin Suntai and An Xianzhu, he has grown at an astonishing rate.
At the age of 21, he stood on the Winter Olympics for the first time and won a silver medal. Li Wenlong's starting point for the dream of an Olympic champion is strikingly similar to his brothers Wu Dajing and Ren Ziwei, who are also legendary. A dream-chasing road to the Italian Winter Olympics is on the way. laid out at his feet.
surprise and regret
China-Singapore Sports: February 4th is your 21st birthday, and it is also the opening day of the Beijing Winter Olympics. You must have been busy preparing for the competition at that time. Did you make up for the ceremony later?
Li Wenlong: February 4th was the day before the game. I watched the opening ceremony that night, waited until the Chinese team came out, and went to bed after watching it.
It hasn't happened since then, and I've been preparing for the World Championships now.
In fact, I didn't think much about the (birthday) thing. It's over when it's over, and it's over when I'm free next year.
Li Wenlong won a silver medal in the men's 1000m short track speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
China-Singapore Sports: In the 1000m final, netizens said that you are the most dedicated "skating protection" messenger. After the game, you also said that "as long as China can win the championship".
How is the game designed and are there any tactical arrangements?
Li Wenlong: My tactic was to protect the two senior brothers (Wu Dajing and Ren Ziwei) to win the gold medal, because (the final) the Chinese team consisted of three players, including two Hungarian players.
China-Singapore Sports: In the 1000-meter final, there was some problem with your skates, and the referee stopped the game.
What happened on the field?
Li Wenlong: When I first started, I needed to run faster to get in front of my opponent, because I wanted to increase my strength because of the slow start, but Xiang brother kicked me. I didn't expect him to be so strong.
After skating for four or five laps and listening to the referee blowing the whistle, I thought something was wrong, but I looked down and saw that the knife was broken.
China-Singapore Sports: The Chinese team missed the medal in the men's 5000m relay, and you also shed tears after the game.
As a "post-00" teenager, how do you evaluate your first Winter Olympics and what experience did you gain?
Li Wenlong: I have gained a lot. For example, the experience of the competition, the atmosphere of the Winter Olympics is also the first time I felt it. I was very nervous at first, but I became more confident and began to adapt to this environment and atmosphere.
There are also tactics or routes (selection), for example, to gain a lot of experience.
I cried because I had some regrets at the time, but it was not the regret of not being able to hold a gold medal or medal.
Unfortunately, my goal before the game was to skate the 5,000-meter relay well, and I had been practicing the main second bat before the game.
Before I play, I want to be able to complete the skating to see where the gap between myself and my opponent is?
Because I also made a mistake in the semi-finals, I didn't slide down the second round completely, and I feel a little regretful.
Li Wenlong accidentally fell in the men's 5,000-meter relay semi-final in the short track speed skating event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
China-Singapore Sports: Before the start of the Winter Olympics, did you set goals for yourself?
How do you evaluate your own performance at the Winter Olympics?
Li Wenlong: The first time I participated in the Winter Olympics, I was definitely nervous. I kept telling myself that as long as I stood on the field, it would be great.
The goal is to skate the relay well. If you can get one more round in a single event, you will achieve the goal by helping the seniors more.
I really didn't expect to win the silver medal in the men's 1000m. Before the final, I didn't even think about winning a medal or entering the top three, and the result really exceeded my expectations.
China-Singapore Sports: The men's 5000m relay at the Beijing Winter Olympics unfortunately missed the top three because of a teammate's mistake. How did you comfort your teammates?
Li Wenlong: I see that he (Sun Long) is so self-blaming, and I feel very uncomfortable, because the relay is a team project, and it is impossible for him to cause such a situation. All of us need to share.
I didn't want him to blame himself so much, so I comforted him and said that we are all still young and there will be opportunities in the future.
love and perseverance
China-Singapore Sports: How did you first get into short track speed skating?
Li Wenlong: When I was a child, my health was not very good and I was thinner. My parents wanted not to learn physical exercise, so they took me to watch the local and provincial teams.
My dad used to be an athlete. He knew the team environment better. He went to several places. He thought the environment and coaches in Qingdao were good, so he left me there.
I didn't even stand on the first day on the ice, because the short track was very fast and exciting, so I liked it.
Li Wenlong during the men's 1000m short track speed skating award ceremony at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Jun
China-Singapore Sports: Your mother said in an interview that your hand was cut by an ice blade while training in South Korea. The team asked you to suspend training and return to China to recuperate, but you insisted that you should continue training with your hands behind your back. Can you talk about this passage? story?
Li Wenlong: I was training abroad in Korea for 15 years. At that time, when I was sharpening my knife, I didn’t pay attention to pressing from the base of the knife to the tip of the knife, and I sewed a lot of stitches.
Both the coach and my parents wanted me to go back to China, but the National Games will be held at the end of the year.
I think this is the first time I have participated in the National Games, and I feel like I can continue to train and have not returned to China.
After 5 days of raising, I was anxious to get on the ice to catch up with the progress of the big team, but at that time I couldn't get the cold wind after the stitches were removed, so I wore two cotton gloves and slipped my hands behind my back.
China-Singapore Sports: How do you usually get along with Wu Dajing and Ren Ziwei?
Apart from the "little son of the whole people" that the fans call you, what do they call you in the team?
Li Wenlong: Brother Xiang (Ren Ziwei) and Brother Jing are just like my own brother. They get along very well in private, and they usually joke around, and I usually play games with them.
They usually call me Fatty, because when I first went to Qingdao, my belly was a little round and a little (obviously) fat. The older sister in the team called me Xiaopang, and then I got older and didn't call me Xiaopang. The name was changed to Fatty, and it has been called until now.
China-Singapore Sports: We all know that the Chinese short track speed skating team has a tradition of singing. What do you think of your singing skills?
Who sings the best in the team?
Li Wenlong: Brother Xiang (Ren Ziwei) sings the best, and he also sings a lot.
I don't usually sing, and I don't dare to sing with insufficiency.
I usually like to listen to Mao Buyi's songs, slower, lyrical songs.
Zhongxin Sports: What kind of personality do you think you are?
Li Wenlong: Usually, if I encounter unpleasant things, I am not willing to express it to my parents and coaches. I am used to digesting and solving it myself.
But if you feel extremely stressed, you will also tell your parents and coaches that feeling is very useful (to relieve stress).
Li Wenlong (left) after the men's 5000m relay final.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
China-Singapore Sports: Which coach in the team has a particularly good relationship with now?
Li Wenlong: It's very good with the coaches. Although coach Ahn Xianzhu already has children, he is still more like an athlete. He is willing to play and play with us. We will also joke with him, like a big brother.
And Coach An is the "god" of short track speed skating in my heart, a legendary existence.
I was also very happy when I learned that he was coming to the team as a coach.
I felt that this opportunity was not easy to come by, so I was very excited and surrounded him every day.
love and perseverance
China-Singapore Sports: Are there any plans after the quarantine is over?
Is it to take a break or directly prepare for the World Championships?
How long has it been since you saw your family?
Li Wenlong: Now preparing for the World Championships, if I have a holiday after the competition, I want to go home for a few days to accompany my parents, but I haven't been home for almost a year.
I especially like to eat dumplings stuffed with chives and eggs made by my mother. I haven't eaten them for a long time.
There is also the chicken stewed mushrooms made by my grandmother. I used to make a big pot for me every time I was on vacation. It was very delicious.
China-Singapore Sports: In the next four years, you will grow from a young player to the backbone of the team. What are your career plans after the Beijing Winter Olympics?
Li Wenlong: Still down-to-earth, because the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics also means that the four-year (preparation cycle) has ended.
In the next four years, I will still train hard from scratch, catch up with my buddies, and fight side by side with them.
Hopefully in four years time the silver medal will be replaced by a gold medal.
Short track speed skating men's 1000m award ceremony, champion Chinese player Ren Ziwei (middle), runner-up Chinese player Li Wenlong (left), third runner-up Hungarian Liu Shaoang (right).
Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Jun
Zhongxin Sports: You won a silver medal in your first Winter Olympics. In your opinion, do you have more talent or more diligence?
Li Wenlong: Both, I think it is a little bit more diligent, accounting for 60%.
Because I have been training since I was a child, I am the type that will not be lazy, and I will fight to the end if I can.
Trying my best, as long as I have a little bit of energy, I need to play it out.
China-Singapore Sports: As the first young athlete of your age to achieve results in the Winter Olympics, what kind of communication do you have with your younger generation?
Li Wenlong: Within the scope of my ability, I will help them and tell them what I have experienced in training.
We are also friends with each other, so we train together every day and the relationship is very harmonious.
Zhongxin Sports: Have you encountered any difficult things in your sports career and thought about giving up?
Li Wenlong: I went through a difficult period early last year. I don’t know why I feel very tired after every training session. I keep telling myself that this is a new state that I have to go through. I actively adjust my mentality and recover when the season comes. A lot, the state is getting better little by little.
But I never thought about giving up. I have been practicing short track speed skating for 10 years. I have always loved this sport deeply, and I have never thought about not wanting to practice until now.