World Cup 4 gold 3 silver 3 bronze Chinese short track speed skating team is getting better
Among the 4 gold medals, Lin Xiaojun contributed 3
With the end of the 2022-2023 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, the six short track speed skating World Cup events this season have come to an end.
The Chinese short track speed skating team with a young lineup won 4 golds, 3 silvers and 3 bronzes, a total of 10 medals.
After the test of the six World Cups, it can be said that the Chinese short track speed skating team is mixed. Although there is still a gap compared with the traditional strong teams such as South Korea, the Netherlands and Canada, their courageous and aggressive spirit is commendable.
On September 26 last year, the national short track speed skating training team for the 2022-2023 season officially announced the list of members of the national training team for the new season. With Zhang Jing as the head coach, a total of 17 male and female athletes were selected. The first national training team.
This season, the short track speed skating national training team has participated in short track speed skating World Cup, Four Continents Championships and World Championships and other international events. The goal is to train newcomers, accumulate experience, and lay a solid foundation for the Milan Winter Olympics cycle.
This season's Short Track Speed Skating World Cup includes a total of six competitions.
The first stop was in Montreal, Canada, the second was in Salt Lake City, USA, the third and fourth were in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the fifth and sixth were in Dresden, Germany and Dordrech, the Netherlands specially carried out.
In the first four World Cups, the Chinese team, dominated by rookies, only won 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
Then in the ISU Four Continents Championships, the Chinese team won 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze.
So far this season, of all the medals won by the Chinese team, 6 medals come from relay events. In individual events, young players are lackluster.
Affected by various factors, the Chinese team in the first four stages of the World Cup has always been difficult to deliver a satisfactory answer.
But after nearly two months of rest, the performance of the Chinese team in 2023 can be said to be getting better.
In the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Dresden, Germany, the Chinese team performed well, winning 2 golds, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
Among them, the most outstanding one was the men's 500-meter competition. Lin Xiaoxuan and Zhong Yuchen won the championship and runner-up for the Chinese team.
In addition, the Chinese team consisting of Li Wenlong, Lin Xiaojun, Liu Guanyi and Zhong Yuchen won the men's 5,000-meter relay championship, and Zhang Chutong won the women's 1,000-meter bronze medal.
The Chinese team continued the strong performance of the previous station.
In the men's 500m Group A final, Lin Xiaojun won the championship, and then he won the silver medal in the men's 5000m relay together with Li Wenlong, Zhong Yuchen and Song Jiahua.
Lin Xiaojun contributed 3 of the 4 gold medals won by the Chinese team so far this season, and his 500m world ranking rose to No. 5.
In the women's 3000m relay, the Chinese team consisting of Zang Yize, Xu Aili, Wang Xinran and Gong Li won a bronze medal.
The report card handed over by the Chinese short track speed skating team this season may not be dazzling, but for the Chinese team that has experienced a "big change", the sportsmanship of young athletes showing courage and hard work on the field is invaluable , this young team is worth looking forward to.
According to the plan, the Chinese team will return to Beijing to prepare for the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul, South Korea in early March.
As Zhang Jing said, I hope that everyone in the Chinese team will be fully trained this season, compete with the world's masters, find gaps, and grow as soon as possible.
The whole team is confident and firm in their beliefs, becoming stronger each time in the international arena.
Text/Reporter Zhou Xueshuai
Photo courtesy/Xinhua News Agency
focus person
Lin Xiaojun: "See you at the World Championships in March"
In the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup Men's 500m Group A final in Dordrecht, Netherlands, Chinese skater Lin Xiaoxuan won the championship with a time of 40.693 seconds by virtue of his tenacious overtake at the last moment. After winning the gold medal, he won the gold medal of the project.
After recovering from injury, Lin Xiaoxuan finally showed his talents in international competitions again, fulfilling his promise with a fiery state, declaring the return of the king.
Lin Xiaojun is known as a talented player. He won the men's 1,500-meter gold medal and the 500-meter bronze medal for South Korea at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
In the Short Track World Championships in March 2019, Lin Xiaojun won five gold medals in the 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m relay and the men's individual all-around event, and was crowned the "Almighty King".
Naturalized in China in 2019.
On September 26 last year, the new season short track speed skating national training team was established, and Lin Xiaojun was selected for the training list.
In the first stop of the 2022-2023 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Montreal, Canada, he made his international debut representing the Chinese team.
In the next sub-race, he suffered from sudden injuries, failed to achieve outstanding results, and was questioned by the outside world.
After experiencing hardships and a long silence, Lin Xiaojun finally ushered in a big explosion.
In the men's 500m Group A final of the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Dresden on February 5, Lin Xiaojun won the championship with a time of 41.329 seconds. This is his return to the international arena this season wearing the Chinese team jersey , and won the first individual gold medal in this season's race after a lapse of 3 years and 11 months.
Then he cooperated with his teammates to win the men's 5000m relay.
After waiting 1,428 days to be on the highest podium again, Lin Xiaojun bluntly said after the game that this was the happiest moment in four years, and wrote on social media: "After 4 years! Long and difficult wait. For the dream, I I have been running hard and never gave up. Although the road is hard, I have no regrets. Thank you to everyone who congratulated me!"
After moving to Dordrecht in the Netherlands, Lin Xiaojun's fiery state continued.
In the men's 500m Group A final, Lin Xiaojun won the championship of this event. After Dresden, he won the 500m championship for two consecutive races.
In addition, he won the silver medal in the men's 5,000-meter relay with teammates Li Wenlong, Song Jiahua, and Zhong Yuchen.
Lin Xiaojun, who has won consecutive World Cup championships, responded immediately by posting: "The six races of the 2022-2023 Short Track Speed Skating World Cup have all ended. Thank you for your encouragement and support. Spring is warm and flowers are blooming, and the footsteps on the ice are endless. Will stop. See you at the World Championships in March."
Text/Reporter Zhou Xueshuai
Beijing Youth Daily