On April 8, at the Beijing Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympic Games Summary and Commendation Conference, this year’s “Triple Crown Champion” Yang Hongqiong was awarded the title of “Outstanding Contribution Individual” in the Beijing Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympic Games. And as the representative of the Winter Paralympic sports delegation, he took the stage to speak.
From winning the Paralympic cross-country skiing women’s sitting group in the short distance, middle distance and long distance, becoming the athlete with the most gold medals in the Chinese sports delegation, to serving as the flag bearer for the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games, and then to receiving recognition Speaking on stage, what Yang Hongqiong experienced within a month made her feel unreal.
He is not a talented player, his performance is average, and his age is too old. This is Yang Hongqiong’s evaluation of himself. Before participating in the Beijing Winter Paralympics, she had low expectations for herself. “I’m very proud to be able to participate. There are so many disabled people in the country, and not everyone can stand on the stage of the Beijing Winter Paralympics.” With the lowest expectations, Yang Hongqiong set foot on the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games. In three games, the 32-year-old veteran created the myth of “unexpected”, and all of this is inseparable from her years of hard work, daring to think and fight, and facing difficulties.
The picture shows Yang Hongqiong winning the gold medal at the Beijing Winter Paralympics
Guangming.com reporter Liu Xiyao / photo
Dreams set sail: driven by curiosity
Four years ago, Yang Hongqiong was a member of the Yunnan wheelchair basketball team. Out of curiosity, she began to ski across events, which also opened the road to the dream of gold medals. “At that time, the team didn’t have any competitions and was on vacation for a long time. One day, the province asked me if I was selecting people to participate in skiing, would I like to try it?” As a southern girl, Yang Hongqiong rarely sees heavy snow, let alone skiing. “I am a very curious person. When I heard about skiing, I was very excited and agreed without hesitation.”
In this way, through the selection of Yang Hongqiong, he entered the preparation and training team for the Winter Paralympics. Because of the huge technical differences between wheelchair basketball and cross-country skiing, Yang Hongqiong, who just started skiing, has to wrestle every day. “Playing basketball in a wheelchair, I can do whatever I want. But I need to rely on my hands to keep my balance on cross-country skiing in a sitting position. Yang Hongqiong recalled that whether it was winter training or summer training, she would slide herself into the grass on the flat road. If it was a downhill turn, she would brake straight into the grass, so she also gained a nickname “Yang Meijiao”. . “I thought it sounded good at the time, but after the coach explained it to me, I learned that it was ‘Yang every fall’, a fall every day.” Yang Hongqiong said cheerfully.
Just as she overcomes the challenge brought by wrestling by using the stupid bird to fly first and the diligence to make up the clumsiness, another pressure comes one after another. “I was 29 years old when I practiced skiing. My parents were worried that I would soon reach the age of third year, and that I had not succeeded in practicing sports for so long, so they told me more than once, or stop practicing and come back to get married and have children.” Yang Hongqiong Said that at that time, her grades belonged to the middle and lower ranks in the team, and her own pressure was intertwined with the pressure of her parents, which made her very confused for a time. But she was stubborn and did not give in, and told her parents firmly: “It is absolutely impossible for me to give up suddenly after persisting for so many years.” With Yang Hongqiong’s persistence and resistance, she continued to start training.
The picture shows Yang Hongqiong in the competition at the Beijing Winter Paralympics
Guangming.com reporter Liu Xiyao / photo
Going for the dream: setbacks go hand in hand
“Be sure to slip out of the results!” Yang Hongqiong secretly set a goal. With the help of the coach, “Yang every wrestling”, who had to flatten where he fell, began to learn to think and summarize from his fall. “During the time I was training in Baiyin, Gansu, I felt better and better. How to slide uphill and downhill at each corner, after the first lap, I would have a clear concept in my mind. “This good training state has made Yang Hongqiong’s performance improve significantly. Since then, her training and test scores have always remained in the top three in the team.
However, affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the Chinese Paralympic cross-country skiing team and biathlon team have hardly been able to compete abroad in the past two years, so the 2021 National Winter Paralympic Games has become a good opportunity for Yang Hongqiong to compete with his opponents. Just when Yang Hongqiong wanted to test herself on the field, she did not expect that reality hit her hard again. “The game of the National Games was postponed due to the epidemic. When I returned to Yunnan after the national team training camp, I received the task of the game again. People rushed to Jilin, but the equipment was still on the way.” Yang Hongqiong said that she did not receive it until two days before the game. Due to the lack of equipment, lack of time for site adaptation training, fatigue from driving and menstruation, and other reasons, she took the last place in all three competitions.
“After the comparison, I was completely stunned. I felt like I had entered the abyss. According to the usual test results, even if the venue is not familiar and my physical fitness is declining, I can at least get a middle place.” Yang Hongqiong said that at that time her My body and spirit are in a state of complete collapse. I can’t close my eyes every night, staring at the ceiling until dawn. During the daytime training, people seem to be skiing, but their spirits are very lethargic. Such a state made Yang Hongqiong want to give up skiing and return to Yunnan for a time. “The coaches, teachers, and friends have all been guiding me. I’m also thinking, after practicing for so long and falling so many times, should I give up? Participating in the Winter Paralympics at my doorstep is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” In this way, Yang Hongqiong, who has experienced a three-month downturn, slowly came out.
The picture shows Yang Hongqiong in the competition at the Beijing Winter Paralympics
Guangming.com reporter Liu Xiyao / photo
The arrival of dreams: focus and persistence
With the recovery of Yang Hongqiong’s state, the footsteps of the Beijing Winter Paralympics are getting closer. After experiencing so many setbacks and hardships, Yang Hongqiong began to learn to focus and work hard in training, and to be calm and steady in mentality. “Since the winter training, my training and test scores have returned to the top three, but I still don’t dare to slack off. I still do physical and ski training hard every day.” Yang Hongqiong said that she did not give herself any presets before the competition. The goal is to make it into the top eight. The most important thing is to focus on yourself and skate every game well.
On March 6, Yang Hongqiong ushered in his first match at the Beijing Winter Paralympics. In the Paralympic cross-country skiing women’s long distance (sitting position), she won the gold medal by 32.1 seconds over the favorite, American star Masters. The first game ushered in a good start, which surprised Yang Hongqiong and relaxed a lot. “Anyway, if you win a gold medal, there will be no pressure in the following competitions.” Yang Hongqiong said with a smile, she told herself that in the latter two competitions, no matter how fast others are skating, as long as you do the movements from your shoulders, your arms to your wrists well , keep breathing and heart rate good, and exert strength to every part of the body. In this way, Yang Hongqiong won two gold medals in succession, becoming the first “Triple Crown Champion” in the history of the Chinese Winter Paralympics.
All this is like a dream, seemingly unreal but extraordinarily beautiful. In an interview, Yang Hongqiong said the most is to thank himself for not giving up. “No matter what, once you choose, give it steadfastly, and don’t doubt yourself.” Yang Hongqiong, who is so optimistic and self-improving at the end of the video, actually experienced an inferiority complex for eight years before practicing sports. Thanks to sports, she said, she has discovered her worth. “I also want to tell my friends with disabilities that everyone has the right to pursue their dreams and the qualifications to challenge their destiny. As long as there is light in their hearts, walk out of society, and find their own goals, they can realize their own value in life, even Glory to the country.”
Producer: Gao Sai Yang Fan
Planning: Yang Fan and Liu Xiyao
Reporter: Liu Xiyao
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责编：杨帆 ]
