Famous rookies show off their Chinese style on the U-shaped field
China Sports News reporter Tian Jie
In the first round of the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding U-shaped World Cup that ended in Chongli, Zhangjiakou a few days ago, snowboarding veterans Cai Xuetong and Liu Jiayu won the women’s championship and runner-up, and male player Wang Ziyang entered the final; in the Freestyle Skiing event, Gu Ailing won the first gold medal of the season with an absolute advantage, and young players Zhang Kexin and Li Fanghui entered the finals with remarkable performances.
Cai Xuetong and Liu Jiayu, who have passed the age, are immortal. Cai Xuetong, who returned to Genting Ski Park this time with new moves, is determined to win the championship. She completed the backside rodeo at the end of the third round of the finals, a difficult move that no other player in the field could complete. She finally scored 93.25 points, becoming the only one on the day. A female player who broke through the 90-point mark. Liu Jiayu, the “four-time veteran” of the Winter Olympics, took a season off after the Beijing Winter Olympics and returned to the training ground this year. At the age of 31, her reserve of difficult movements still crushes all rookies. Regarding her strong comeback, she believes that in addition to loving the sport, the more important thing is to believe that she has strong abilities. After starting her first season after returning with a World Cup silver medal, Liu Jiayu said that she must progress step by step. Age will not be a limitation for her. What is important is the understanding and affirmation of her own abilities.
After the Beijing Winter Olympics, Gu Ailing reduced her participation because she became a “full-time college student” and did not appear in Canada’s two World Cups until earlier this year. She is still very dominant in the U-shaped field skills event. Participating in the first World Cup of the new season after 11 months, despite a shoulder injury, Gu Ailing still did not reduce the difficulty on the court. In the three rounds of the final, he easily won the championship with more than 90 points, which was also the only 90+ score in the final.
Although they have become kings in their respective events, the three have not stopped challenging more difficult moves. “I will also challenge new moves.” Cai Xuetong said, “Extreme sports are the spirit of always challenging yourself.” Whether to meet the challenge or ensure safety, Gu Ailing believes that all athletes will face this problem, “Facing new moves, everyone Everyone is afraid. At this time, I need to analyze whether the fear is due to facing actions I have never done before, or because I feel unsafe. If I feel unsafe, I will never blindly challenge it. I will choose to be safe if I can achieve it. challenge.”
The young players from the two teams made a collective appearance at this World Cup. The only Chinese player to enter the men’s snowboard halfpipe final, 20-year-old Wang Ziyang, ultimately finished sixth. The results that count toward the rankings were those he completed in the first round, while he made mistakes in the second two rounds. Faced with the tension of the competition, he was not able to perform at his best level despite his ability to compete for the podium. “I have all the moves, but I just couldn’t show them well in the competition.” Wang Ziyang said that competing with the masters made him unable to perform at his best. He saw his shortcomings and felt that he should focus on strengthening more systematic movement exercises in training. “You can’t just rely on your temper. You want to practice this movement today and that movement tomorrow.”
Li Fanghui, the “dark horse” of this competition, also performed poorly in the finals due to nervousness. In the freestyle skiing event, she and Zhang Kexin advanced to the finals respectively with third and fourth place in the qualifying rounds. However, due to an accidental injury during pre-match training on the final day, Zhang Kexin withdrew from the competition. Under pressure, 20-year-old Li Fanghui was able to skate evenly in all three rounds. Unsuccessful.
Lack of competition experience, failure to grasp the rhythm of the game, and high psychological fluctuations are common problems among young Chinese players in this competition. The two teams will also participate in the next four World Cups this season, next year’s Winter Youth Olympics and other international competitions, as well as the 14th Winter Games. Through the training of the competition, they will eventually gain something.