Half-pipe success part of learning curve

0 CommentsPrint E-mail China Daily, February 20, 2010
Adjust font size:

 

Half-pipe success part of learning curve

China's Liu Jiayu celebrates after her second run in the finals of the women's snowboarding halfpipe in Vancouver on Thursday. [Reuters]

After almost making the podium at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in the women's snowboard half-pipe, China's young snowboarders want to maintain the momentum for the next Games in four years.

"I'm very happy that I achieved such a good result and I've also found my weak point in training," said 17-year-old Liu Jiayu, who finished fourth on Thursday.

"I've learned a lot from the Olympic competition and the result will be a motivation for my future training. My confidence has been boosted and I know what I should do in the next four years' Olympic circle."

As newcomers to snowboarding, the Chinese competitors have now staked a claim on future medals with lots of young talent coming of age.

Liu's compatriot, 18-year-old Sun Zhifeng, finished seventh.

Liu, Sun and other members of China's first generation of competitive snowboarders were selected from events that require agility and skiing skills, such as Wushu, gymnastics and Alpine skiing.

China's boarders debuted in Turin in 2006 where Pan Lei finished 28th and Sun, who was only 14 at that time, ranked 31st.

Just one year later, Liu jumped onto the podium at a World Cup event in Calgary, Canada, where she clinched her first major title.

"From 2006 onwards, I could see that I was improving, thanks to my own effort and the tireless work of my coach," Liu said before the Olympic competition.

It all paid off in the 2007/08 season as Liu pocketed two World Cup half-pipe titles. She soared into the spotlight again the following year by winning another World Cup stop in Switzerland, earning China its first gold in the sport at a World Championships.

When the reigning world champion was preparing for her first Winter Olympics, she was hit with a severe shoulder injury in October, which forced her to miss systematic training for almost three months.

During the finals in Vancouver, Liu managed to finish a clean first run but failed to deliver a more difficult second run, which kept her out of the medals.

"Through the competition, I know that there is still a gap in my degree of difficulty and in some techniques," Liu said. "I will try to make up for that in my future training."

As former Wushu athletes, Liu and Sun began snowboard training in 2003, when the sport just arrived in China.

"I love it to a degree most people probably couldn't imagine - listening to some punk track and feeling free and loose on the board - that's the kind of life I love," Liu said.

For Sun, a second Olympic experience has made her become more mature.

"I felt more relaxed at this Olympics and I believe I could do better in the future," Sun said.

The youngest rider among the Chinese team, Cai Xuetong, 16, failed to qualify for the semifinals after falling during the qualification stage, but the boarder, who is ranked first in the World Cup standings, believes she has a bright future.

"I'm very excited about my Olympic debut," she said. "I hope I can do as well as the world's top riders here at the Olympics. I hope I can achieve such a goal soon."

The team's coach is confident more success will follow at the next Olympics.

"Our girls still have a gap to make up compared to the medalists, who usually compete in professional X-Games competitions rather than in those ISU series, such as the World Cup," said Liu's coach Liu Changfu. "But we will be sure to strive for a medal at the next Games."

Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comments

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国模欢欢炮交150视频| jizz老师喷水| 最新在线中文字幕| 亚洲欧美成人永久第一网站| 精品亚洲A∨无码一区二区三区 | 小雪校花的好大的奶好爽| 久久久国产乱子伦精品| 日韩黄色片网站| 亚洲а∨天堂久久精品| 欧美成a人片在线观看久| 亚洲福利在线看| 特级西西人体444WWw高清大胆| 动漫美女和男人羞羞漫画| 美腿丝袜亚洲综合| 国产一级不卡毛片| 韩国免费一级片| 国产性猛交╳XXX乱大交| 欧美大黑bbb| 国产白白白在线永久播放| 1213孕videos俄罗斯| 国产自产视频在线观看香蕉| 99久高清在线观看视频| 天天射天天干天天插| juy051佐佐木明希在线观看| 幻女free性俄罗斯第一次摘花| 中文字幕久热精品视频在线| 无码国产色欲xxxx视频| 久久久久久a亚洲欧洲AV| 日本边添边摸边做边爱边| 久久无码精品一区二区三区 | 日本亚洲精品色婷婷在线影院| 国产精品对白刺激久久久| 68日本xxxⅹxxxxx18| 国产美女无遮挡免费视频| 97午夜伦伦电影理论片| 处女的诱惑在线观看| JAPANESE在线播放国产| 夜夜高潮天天爽欧美| av无码a在线观看| 埋在老师腿间喝圣水| 99久久99久久精品国产片|