Dialogue | "Grandma Zheng Fengrong told me to show the spirit of the Chinese people"

　　"After playing, show the spirit of the Chinese people." Zheng Enlai's grandmother Zheng Fengrong instructed before the Beijing Winter Olympics.

　　More than 60 years ago, Zheng Fengrong made an amazing leap and became the first female athlete in China to break the world record.

　　After becoming a famous family, Zheng Enlai inherited the sports genes and formed an indissoluble bond with ice hockey. His sister Zheng Ninali took over the baton of track and field.

　　At the Tokyo Olympics, Zheng Nina made her debut and won the tenth place in the women's heptathlon, creating the best result for a Chinese athlete in this event in the Olympic Games.

At the Beijing Winter Olympics half a year later, Zheng Enlai represented the Chinese team on the Winter Olympics stage for the first time.

　　Regarding his trip to the Beijing Winter Olympics, Zheng En can't call it a success, but a phased goal.

　　He hopes that 4 or 8 years later, Chinese ice hockey will still be able to enter the Winter Olympics on its own strength, and drive more children to love ice hockey.

China-Singapore Sports: What attracted you to take part in ice hockey as a career?

　　Zheng Enlai: I grew up in Canada, ice hockey in Canada is equivalent to table tennis in China, so Canadian children basically try it out, how to play ice hockey and how to skate.

　　I started skating when I was about 3 years old, I don't remember anything at that time, anyway, my mother said that I was very interested in this at that time, and I was very talented, and when I was 5 years old, I started to play.

　　Ice hockey has been my life since I was a kid, it's what I want to do, it's my dream job.

　　I love the feel of a team in hockey.

Everyone cooperates with each other to achieve a goal. Most of the friends in my circle of friends are acquainted with ice hockey.

　　Furthermore, when I was a child, I often watched ice hockey games on TV. Many athletes were idols, and I wanted to achieve their achievements, so I really wanted to do this.

Image source: Zheng Enlai Weibo

China-Singapore Sports: Your grandmother Zheng Fengrong is the first female athlete in China to break the world record. Your No. 77 jersey is also related to this.

Including your sister Zheng Nina Li, who participated in the Tokyo Olympics last year.

How has your family influenced your career as a professional athlete?

　　Zheng Enlai: Since I was a child, my grandfather and grandma would take my sister and me to play, and they would also bring some training at that time.

Because they were both top athletes in the Chinese national team at the time, my sister and I both had this gene.

　　In fact, we have had some differences in choosing the path of professional athletes.

My mother wanted me to go to college, thinking that I would be successful in college, but I still wanted to be a professional athlete.

My grandfather always said something to me: "This road is always yours to walk. Failure is your failure, success is your success." In the end, they respected my choice.

Zheng Enlai (second from left in the first row) and his teammates.

Image source: Zheng Enlai's personal Weibo

China-Singapore Sports: After choosing this path, it was not smooth sailing.

Remember that you experienced serious injuries before, which had a great impact on you when you were growing up. How did you get out of it?

　　Zheng Enlai: When I was 19 years old, I suffered a serious injury. The ligaments in both hips were torn, and the adductors and abdominal muscles were also torn.

This injury has not recovered for more than a year, so I went to the operation. Until now, I have not fully recovered. There is still a small problem, and I need to be careful.

　　I didn't play ice hockey for about two years.

Because the pain was unbearable when I slipped and slipped, I once thought about whether this road was suitable for me, whether I should go to school or find a job.

It's not that I don't want to play ice hockey anymore, it's that I'm worried about my health.

　　Later, I thought, if I don’t change careers as an ice hockey coach, even if I’m not an athlete, I need to help Chinese children practice ice hockey in the sport of ice hockey.

Image source: Zheng Enlai Weibo

China-Singapore Sports: How do you feel about participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics, and what are the gains and losses?

　　Zheng Enlai: The generation of athletes from my grandparents did not make it to the Olympics.

My sister and I were able to participate in the Olympic Games. In fact, some of them represented the family and participated in the Olympic Games on their behalf. I know they were also very moved and happy.

　　However, to be able to participate in the Winter Olympics, I don't want to say that I have been completely successful, I can only say that it is a staged goal.

Maybe it's just a little more at ease, especially when he suffered serious injuries in the past few years.

　　This trip to the Winter Olympics still has some regrets, and the game with Germany is just a little bit away from winning.

Although as a team ranked 32 in the world, it is not bad in terms of being ranked No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 in the world,

Zheng Enlai (left) and his younger sister Zheng Nina Li as a child.

China-Singapore Sports: Before participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics, did you communicate with your grandmother and sister?

　　Zheng Enlai: My grandmother and I have video calls every day. She didn’t tell me too much about teaching. She just told me to protect yourself, don’t get hurt, and

　　I also communicate a lot with my sister, but I can't talk about sports.

For example, I recently discovered a good restaurant in Beijing and bought something new.

I think that's fine, it needs someone to be distracted.

Zhongxin Sports: Do you have any interesting stories between you and your sister?

　　Zheng Enlai: We haven't had a chance to meet each other in the last two or three years.

Because she's a summer project and I'm a winter project, the seasons are just in reverse.

　　I remember playing javelin and high jump with my sister as a kid.

Because I'm an older brother, and I think I'm definitely stronger than her, so I don't think I can lose.

　　As a result, she easily flew the javelin out, and I threw it directly to the ground.

In the high jump, she jumped over easily, and I jumped up and fell directly to the ground (laughs).

Zheng Enlai

China-Singapore Sports: What other goals and plans do you have in the future?

　　Zheng Enlai: The goal is to win more games on behalf of the Chinese team. I hope our world ranking can be further improved. After 4 or 8 years, we will be able to participate in the Winter Olympics on our own strength.

　　In addition to this, there is another goal, which is to bring Chinese ice hockey to the forefront, teach the next generation of children how to play ice hockey, and make them fall in love with this project.

There are so many people in China, as long as more children love ice hockey, there will be no problem with Chinese ice hockey in the future.

(author Bian Liqun)