“Because my name is Ning Zhongyan” – this is the name of Ning Zhongyan’s social media account. Who is Ning Zhongyan? Before 2019, this was a problem.
On February 19, Chinese player Ning Zhongyan (first from left) competed in the men’s collective starting semifinal at the Beijing Winter Olympics
Speed skating is an important competitive event in the Winter Olympics, but before the Beijing Winter Olympics, Chinese players had only won one gold medal in the speed skating event of the Winter Olympics. Like this project, Ning Zhongyan did not receive much attention.
During the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics four years ago, almost no one knew Ning Zhongyan’s name. The turning point came in 2019.
In December 2019, the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan was held. Ning Zhongyan competed with a group of world masters. In the men’s 1500-meter race, he broke through the siege of the Dutch and won the gold medal.
The last time a Chinese player won a gold medal in this event at a world competition was in 1963. 2 minutes 09 seconds 2, Luo Zhihuan still remembers this result. On February 24, 1963, Nagano, Japan, at the 57th World Men’s Speed Skating Championships, he set a world record of 1,500 meters with this result and became the first Chinese athlete to win the world championship in winter events.
Luo Zhihuan and Winter Olympic champion Zhang Hong praised Ning Zhongyan’s achievements. “But when I stepped down from the podium, it was actually zero.” As a professional athlete, Ning Zhongyan knew the importance of continuous efforts.
China’s Ning Zhongyan competes during the men’s 1,000-meter speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 18.
In 1999, Ning Zhongyan was born in Heping Village, Shiyan Town, Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province, and attended Heping Primary School in the village. In order to enrich the children’s extracurricular life, the school’s teacher Geng Yuhua poured an ice rink in the school. 10-year-old Ning Zhongyan learned to speed on the ice for the first time.
He quickly fell in love with the sport. “I remember he would skate when he was on the ice, because he liked roller skates before he was six or seven years old, so I bought him a pair, and then he would skate.” Zhao Shuyan, Ning Zhongyan’s mother, recalled.
“Later, Ning Zhongyan did well in the skating competition in Ning’an City, and was introduced to Mudanjiang City by Ning’an Sports School.” Zhao Shuyan still remembered the specific date of her son’s departure, “I was picked up by Mudanjiang Sports School on the eighth day of the first lunar month. At first, coach Zhu Yuliang took him, and later he was taught by coach Chen Peijun.”
Chen Peijun, a speed skating coach at the Mudanjiang Winter Sports Training Center, still remembers the first time he saw Ning Zhongyan. “It was 2012. He was short, but he had a good sense of ice.” Chen Peijun said that Ning Zhongyan not only had good understanding, but also trained very hard. “Don’t be lazy and be obedient, don’t worry about it.” Chen Peijun said.
Not only hard work, but Ning Zhongyan understands that only by constantly overcoming difficulties can he reach the end. “At that time, I just participated in the World Cup. The ice blade cut my leg, and I got stitches at night. The game was not delayed the next day.” Zhao Shuyan said, “The child later said that it was painful during the game, but he insisted on gritting his teeth.”
On February 19, China’s Ning Zhongyan competes after the men’s group start final in speed skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
In his years as an athlete, Ning Zhongyan has been training hard and hardly spends the New Year at home, but the results at the Beijing Winter Olympics did not satisfy him. “I was so nervous at the time, it was like a dream, my legs were uncontrollable like wood, and my head was thinking a lot.” For the first time at the Winter Olympics, Ning Zhongyan finally competed in the men’s 1,500-meter speed skating competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. ranked seventh.
“The Winter Olympics are like this. Some people are happy and some are worried. Competitive sports are so cruel.” Ning Zhongyan said that he has never given up and will train hard, learn from experience, and make up for his regrets at the next Winter Olympics.
“Give luck a little time, it won’t be too far away from me.” Ning Zhongyan said.
Text/Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Junbao
Photography / Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Jianwei Li An
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责编：孙宗鹤 ]